Acid deposition, including acid rain, can harm natural and man-made objects. It is caused by sulfur dioxide from coal burning and can damage buildings, cars, trees, and water systems. Scrubbers can help reduce acid deposition from coal-fired power plants.
Acid deposition is the deposition of acid in any form on objects in the environment, whether natural or man-made. In most cases, acid deposition commonly occurs in the form of acid rain, which often receives the most attention because it is perceived to be the most dangerous. Other forms include both solids and gases, and while they may not pose the same risk, they can still be harmful to objects they touch.
For deposition to occur, acid must first be present in the atmosphere. This most commonly occurs from coal burning in electrical generating plants. Coal produces a substance known as sulfur dioxide. Once in the air, it mixes with other elements, mainly oxygen, to become sulfuric acid. Some of this material eventually falls to Earth.
Acid rain is simply a deposition of acid in liquid form. Sulfuric acid is found in clouds, which condense and the water droplets eventually become so heavy that they fall. Acid rain can actually fall many miles from where the current coal plant is located, simply due to wind patterns and the time it takes for the acid to form and fall.
Acid deposition can also occur in the form of acid particulates, which are solids, and acid vapors, which are gases. As the acid makes its way back to the planet’s surface, it lands on other objects, such as buildings, trees, and lakes. In most cases, these items are not prepared to deal with the introduction of higher acid levels and are therefore adversely affected.
The main damages are to buildings and cars as well as trees and water systems, such as lakes and rivers. Acid deposition can strip paint from buildings and cars and even lead to structural deterioration. In forests, it can cause trees to die off in large numbers as plants try to cope with a different pH than they prefer. The same also applies to water systems, where fish and other wildlife can be harmed by acid deposition.
Stopping the deposition of acid has therefore become a major concern for many countries around the world. While it may not be possible to completely eradicate coal-fired power plants in the foreseeable future, switching to cleaner forms of coal-free energy, or even using clean coal-fired technologies, may help. For example, acid deposition can be nearly eliminated through the use of scrubbers that remove sulfur from emissions from coal-fired power plants.
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