Acid Rain Pollutants

Buildings and statues constructed of marble are sensitive to the destructive action of acid rain. How can the same reactions that destroy marble be used to help reduce the harmful effects of acid rain pollution ... 

Source Identification of Airborne Particles, In recent years, ingenious methods of identifying the point source of airborne particles have been developed. If not specific point sources of pollution, rather small regional areas can often be identified. Source of particles can be important for numerous reasons, including the enforcement of regulation and also in sorting out. for example, the various distant sources that contribute to acid rain pollution. 

Winchester, J.W. (1989) Regional anomalies in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease comparison with acid rain pollution particulate characteristics. Arch. Environ. Contaminat. 

As we have seen, all fossil fuels contain sulfur, and sulfur dioxide is also produced when they are burnt, alongside the usual products of hydrocarbon combustion. This is one of the causes of acid rain pollution ... 

Further, although humanity constitutes mily a small part of the biosphere, human activities have a marked influence the surface environment of the earth (atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, soils). Consequently, the influence of humans on the other subsystems (atmosphere, hydrosphere, soils, rocks) through, for example, acid rain, pollution of surface water, geological disposal of nuclear waste, and underground CO2 sequestration are also examined (Chap. 6). 

The issue of phosphates in lakes is not clear-cut field studies indicate that adding phosphates to acid lakes (the result of acid rain pollution) stimulates plant growth, which in turn leads to a production of [OH] , which neutraUzes excess acid. 

A specially designed barge applies a slurry of finely ground limestone (CaCOs) to a lake to neutralize its acidity,caused by acid-rain pollution.Acid rain results from the burning of sulfur-containing materials (coal and sulfide ores) and from nitrogen oxide pollution from automobiles. 

Sulfuric acid is a component of acid rain and forms in air from sulfur dioxide, following reactions that are similar to those involved in the contact process. Atmospheric sulfur dioxide has both natural and human origins. Natural sources include plant and animal decomposition and volcanic emissions. However, the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas has been identified as a major source of acid rain pollution. After persisting in the atmosphere for some time, sulfur dioxide is oxidized to sulfur trioxide, which dissolves in rain to give H2S04(ag ). 

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) favor coal gasification combined cycle power generating units over other developed coal-based units in several of its provisions, namely in the regulation of "acid rain" pollutants, in the restrictions on trace components, hazardous air pollutants, and in the incentives for repowering with qualifying clean coal technologies (3). 

Ward, B. 1984. The intractable politics of acid rain. Pollution Engineering. June. 

Selection of pollution control methods is generally based on the need to control ambient air quaUty in order to achieve compliance with standards for critetia pollutants, or, in the case of nonregulated contaminants, to protect human health and vegetation. There are three elements to a pollution problem a source, a receptor affected by the pollutants, and the transport of pollutants from source to receptor. Modification or elimination of any one of these elements can change the nature of a pollution problem. For instance, tall stacks which disperse effluent modify the transport of pollutants and can thus reduce nearby SO2 deposition from sulfur-containing fossil fuel combustion. Although better dispersion aloft can solve a local problem, if done from numerous sources it can unfortunately cause a regional one, such as the acid rain now evident in the northeastern United States and Canada (see Atmospheric models). References 3—15 discuss atmospheric dilution as a control measure. The better approach, however, is to control emissions at the source. 

Biological processes are also being studied to investigate abiHty to remove sulfur species in order to remove potential contributors to acid rain (see Air pollution). These species include benzothiophene-type materials, which are the most difficult to remove chemically, as weU as pyritic material. The pyrite may be treated to enhance the abiHty of flotation processes to separate the mineral from the combustible parts of the coal. Genetic engineering (qv) techniques are being appHed to develop more effective species. 

The usage pattern in Europe and Japan is more dependent upon the automotive industry. However, with the recent concern about acid rain, the European and U.S. markets should show increased interest in fluorocarbon elastomers for pollution control appHcations. On the other hand, the Japanese market has a sizable outlet in electrical and general machinery manufacturing (eg, copiers). Petroleum appHcations are of Htfle interest outside the United States. 

In a relatively small continental area such as Europe, there is not much difference between what would be considered the regional scale and the continental scale. However, on most other continents there would be a difference between what is considered regional and what continental. Perhaps of greatest concern on the continental scale is that the air pollution policies of a nation are likely to create impacts on neighboring nations. Acid rain in Scandanavia has been considered to have had impacts from Great Britain and Western Europe. Japan has considered that part of their air pollution problem, especially in the western part of the country, has origins in China and Korea. Cooperation in the examination of the North American acid rain problem has existed for a long time between Canada and the United States. 

Mcllanby, K. (ed.), "Air Pollution, Acid Rain, and the Environment," Elsevder Science Publishers, Essex, England, 1988. 

Acid rain is the popular term for a very complex environmental problem. Over the past 25 years, evidence has accumulated on changes in aquatic life and soil pH in Scandinavia, Canada, and the northeastern United States. Many believe that these changes are caused by acidic deposition traceable to pollutant acid precursors that result from the burning of fossil fuels. Acid rain is only one component of acidic deposition, a more appropriate description of this phenomenon. Acidic deposition is the combined total of wet and dry deposition, with wet acidic deposition being commonly referred to as acid rain. 

Other Titles - The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 continue the federal acid rain research program and contain several provisions relating to research, development and air monitoring. They also contain provisions to provide additional unemployment benefits through the Job Training Partnership Act to workers laid off as a consequence of compliance with the Clean Air Act. The Act also contains provisions to improve visibility near National Parks and other parts of the country. Strict enforcement of the Clean Air Act Amendments is the driving force behind pollution abatement. Non-compliance is simply not an option, since there are both financial and criminal liabilities that outweigh any benefits derived from a business. 

Deals with issues that affect the quality of our air and protection from exposure to harmful radiation. OAR de >el-ops national programs, technical policies, and regulations for controlling air pollution and radiation exposure. Areas of concern to OAR include indoor and outdoor air quality, stationaiy and mobile sources of air pollution, radon, acid rain, stratospheric ozone depletion, radiation protection, and pollution prevention. 

Since the majority of middle distillates are used as a fuel, combustion of these products will contribute to SO2/SO3 air pollution and acid rain. However, in catalytic processes of petroleum fractions Sulfur levels are also important. Lor instance, quantities... 

The pollution rising trom Ihe smokestacks ol this power plant can cause acid rain. (Photo Researchers Inc.)... 

Burning fossil fuels can release air pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and particulate matter. Sulfur and nitrogen oxides contribute to acid rain ozone is a component of urban smog, and particulate matter affects respiratory health. In fact, several studies have documented a disturbing correlation between suspended particulate levels and human mortality. It is estimated that air pollution may help cause 500,000 premature deaths and millions of new respiratory illnesses each year. 

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