The Process of Acid Rain Formation

Acid rain, also known as acid precipitation or acid deposition, is a

precipitation with a pH of approximately 5.2 or less formed primarily from the
emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx; the combination of NO
and NO2) from human activities, mainly fossil fuel combustion. Acid deposition can
decrease the pH of surface waters and lower biodiversity in acid-sensitive ecosystems.
Acid rain is responsible for the deterioration of limestone and marble buildings and
monuments, contributing to the corrosion of surfaces exposed to air pollution. This
rain has higher levels of hydrogen ions (H+) due to sulfuric and nitric acid
contamination. It decreases the aquatic ecosystems’ pH (potential hydrogen) scale
(Singh & Shishodia, 2007). Northeast America, Central Europe, and China has been
identified as the world's three largest regions affected by acid rain (Menz & Seip,
2004). In many developing and industrialized countries, acid rain produces air
pollution, particularly in the North-East region of the USA, the South-East area of
Canada, India, Japan, China, and Central Europe (Kolhe & Deshmukh, 2016). There
are four stages involved in the acid rain formation. These stages are, the release of
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides through man-made and natural sources, movement
of pollutants into the atmosphere, the formation of sulfuric acid and nitric acid and
lastly acid deposition (refer to Figure 1 in Appendix 1).

The first stage of acid rain formation is the emission of various hazardous
gases such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NO2) which then dissolved in
atmospheric water. When acid is mixed with rainwater, the pH falls below 5.6 which
can be more acidic than vinegar (Dondapati et al., 2013). Acid rain can be formed by
natural causes, such as volcanic eruptions which release sulfur dioxide (SO 2) gas. SO2
is a colourless gas with a sharp and choking odour. This pungent gas can cause eye
and throat irritation and harm lung tissue when inhaled. Gould (1985) states that most
of the emission of SO2 and NO2 comes from three manmade sources which are
burning of fossil fuels, burning of gasoline and the smelting operations of plants that
refine nonferrous metal ores. According to the US electric power industry, about 67%
of total US SO2 emissions (20 million tons) and 22% of total US NO x emissions are
from man-made sources. (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 1980)

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 The second stage of acid rain formation is the movement of air pollutants in
the atmosphere. Air pollutants like sulfur dioxide (SO2) is formed when coal which is
rich in sulfur is being burned and its component gets oxidized. Normally, sulfur of 5%
or lesser is dissolved into SO 2 (Mohajan, 2018). After that, SO2 is emits to the
atmosphere from the burning smoke. The second air pollutants which is nitrogen
oxides (NO2) is formed when nitric oxide (NO) combined with oxygen. Most of the
nitric oxide comes from the high temperature conditions in the cylinders of motor
vehicles’ engines which consist of petrol and diesel engines (Shalabi, 2014). These air
pollutants are vented into the atmosphere and caught up in the prevailing winds. Due
to the impact of weather conditions, Nathanson (2018) finds that air pollutants are
filtered and spread horizontally and distributed in a negative direction by atmospheric
instability. Once air currents move obviously in a negative direction, volatile wind
patterns happen, combining and diffusing pollutants. Pollutants of sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides will then retain in the atmosphere and interact in the presence of
sunlight to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid mists.

The third stage of acid rain formation is the formation of sulfuric acid and
nitric acid. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) which stays in the atmosphere is then transformed
into a new compound sulfur trioxide (SO3) when it reacts with more oxygen in the
atmosphere at ordinary temperature. At last, SO 3 reacts with water which is the
moisture in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid. Compounds such as ammonia and
ozone (O3) which are abundance in the polluted air act as catalysts in helping the
conversion of more SO2 into sulfuric acid (Singh & Agrawal, 2008). The second way
of the production of sulfuric acid is when there is the presence of sunlight (hꭒ) and
hydroxide (OH-). SO2 is combined with OH- under the sunlight to form sulfuric acid
(H2SO4) and lastly dissolves in the rainwater to become acid rain.

Due to the previous process, the formation of nitric acid will happen. Once the
oxides of nitrogen are in the air, it is being broken down again by sunlight (hꭒ) to
produce NO and an oxygen radical (O2-). O2- is then further transform into ozone (O 3)
when it reacts with more oxygen. In the presence of O3 and NO, more NO2 is created.
O2- which is broken down earlier by hꭒ produce hydroxyl radical (OH-) when reacts
with water in the atmosphere. OH- is important in transforming into nitrous acid
(HNO2) and nitric acid (HNO3) because it reacts with NO and NO 2 respectively. Just
like sulfuric acid, it dissolves in the rainwater to form acid rain.

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 In the final stages, acid deposition occurs which is widely known as acid rain.
Scientist refer “acid deposition” as more accurate term instead of using acid rain. It is
due to the reason that acid deposition can be categorized into wet deposition and dry
deposition. Haradhan (2018) claims that acid deposition can be defined as the
atmospheric acids deposited on the earth as wet deposition such as snow, rain, fog,
mist and sleet. The sulfuric and nitric acids formed in the atmosphere fall to the
ground mixed with rain, fog, or hail. Dry deposition is like gas, dry particles, vapor
and aerosols. The dry deposition is created from the combustion of fossil fuels such as
coal, oil and natural gas and other industrial processes through complex of chemical
reactions (Baedecker, Reddy, Reimann, & Sciammarella, 1992).

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 References

Baedecker, P. A., Reddy, M. M., Reimann, K. J., & Sciammarella, C. A. (1992).

Effects

of acidic deposition on the erosion of Carbonate Stone Experimental results

from the United States National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program
(NAPAP). Atmospheric Environment, 26(2), 147-158.

Dondapati, N., Reddy, S. K., & Recharla, K. P. (2013). A novel method for detecting

acid rain patterns of SO2 and NO2 using pH in image processing.

International

Conference on Green Computing, Communication and Conservation of

Energy

(ICGCE) (pp. 17–22). Chennai, India: IEEE.

Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]. (1980). Acid rain. Report of US

Environmental Protection Agency. Washington, DC: Office of Research and

Development.

Gourd, R. (1985). Going Sour: Science and Politics of Acid Rain. Boston, MA:

Bikhauser.

Haradhan, K. M. (2018). Acid rain is a local environment pollution but global

concern. Open Science Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 3(5), 47-55.
Kolhe, S., & Deshmukh, R. R. (2016). Detection of acid rain stress effect on plants

using Spectroradiometer: A review. International Journal of Innovative

Research in Computer and Communication Engineering, 4(7), 13095-13100.

Menz, F. C., & Seip, H. M. (2004). Acid rain in Europe and the United States: An

update. Environmental Science and Policy, 7(4), 253–265.

Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Acid rain is a local environment pollution but global concern.

Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 3(5), 47-55.

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Nathanson, J. A. (2018, October 31). Air pollution. Retrieved from

[Link]

Shalabi, A. (2014). Acid rain/ Chemistry for All/ FuseSchool [Youtube Channel].

Retrieved from [Link]

Singh, A., & Agrawal, M. (2008). Acid rain and its ecological consequences. Journal

of Environmental Biology, 29(1), 15-24.

Singh, K., & Shishodia, A. (2007). Environmental Economics: Theory and

Applications.

New Delhi, India: Sage Publications.

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 Appendix 1

Release of SO2 and NOx through man-

made and natural sources

Movements of pollutants into the

atmosphere

Formation of sulfuric acid and nitric

acid

Acid Depositon (wet/Dry)

Figure 1. The process of acid rain formation