Acid Rain Essay

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Acid Rain is best described as any form of precipitation with high levels of nitric and sulfuric acid. Acid rain or acid deposition is the result of burning of fossil fuels. About two-thirds of SO2 and one-fourth of NOx are released into the air; it comes from electric power generators. These chemicals react would react with water, oxygen, and other substances to form delicate solution of sulfuric and nitric acid to form acidic pollutants. The source of sulphur dioxide comes from volcanoes, biological decay, forest fires; nitrogen oxides also comes from volcanoes and biological decay. Winds spread these acidic arrangements across the atmosphere and over many miles. At a point where acid rain reaches Earth, it it seeps into the soil and the …show more content…
Since then many lakes and rivers have been affected. Areas that have been affected by acid rain are Central Europe, Scotland, Canada, Scandinavia and United States. Acid rain makes waters acidic and causes then to take in the aluminum that advances from the soil into lakes and streams. This mix makes waters lethal to crawfish, shellfishes, and other aquatic creatures. It creates an atmosphere that threatens the survival of aquatic life. Arthropods and fish die in water that has a pH level less than five. Water with a low pH level causes gill damage in fish and death to fish embryos. With a level of five, most fish eggs cannot hatch. The effects of freshwater acidification as carbon source changes from carbonate (HCO3) to carbon dioxide (CO2), release of toxic metals, and freshwater fauna and flora gradually changes. Some species of fish or animal can tolerate reasonably acidic water, the animal or plants that eats it might not. Furthermore freshwater acidification can lead to decline and loss of fish population. A pH of 4.5 no fish is to survive. A decrease of pH is most correlated with an increase of toxic metal availability. Animals like leeches, snail, and crayfish are early victims of acidification; insect like mayfly would disappear even at moderate acidification. Species like dragonfly, water beetle, and blood worms can grow abnormally large. Salmon, trout, and roach are the most at risk from freshwater

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