1. The students:
Vafiadi Αnthi, Parianou Emmanouela,
Lyga Fotini, Mixalitsli Sarlot
Alexandros Lazaridis
Physical Education Teacher
M.Sc Sports Nutrition
Project: Environment and Human Health
2. Acid rain is otherwise known as the phenomenon of
abnormally acidic precipitation, e.g. Rain, hail, snow,
fog, frost, and dry as dust.
3. The term acid rain refers to the presence of dissolved
acidic pollutants, namely substances (gases or not)
that are not physiological characteristics of clean air,
but are products of human activity or other pollutant
causes (e.g. volcanic activity).
4. Because the various gases of fossil fuels like oil and
coal, often contains (acidic) oxides of sulfur and
nitrogen, among others, this produces acid rain
containing dissolved corresponding acids.
5. Acid rain brings devastating effects on ecosystems,
crops, cultural sites and assets of citizens (e.g. cars).
6. The heavy impact of this phenomenon has led, in
recent years, many governments to impose laws and
other measures to reduce the phenomenon and
therefore its impact.
7. Origin of pollutants that form acid rain:
The most important gases that lead to the
formation of acid rain are sulfur dioxide (SO2)
and nitrogen oxides which are oxidized to form
nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and when dissolved in
water, forms nitric acid (HNO3). These gases
come from the following main sources:
8. Volcanic activity and wildfires place a heavy burden on
the Earth every year.
9. Acid melting ice: Part of the ice caps are melting
because of global warming and contain dissolved acid
gases, mainly from the intense volcanic activity of the
time they were created.
10. Consequences
Acid rain has a strong impact on natural ecosystems
(forests, wetlands, soil), directly or indirectly killing life
forms, but also in residential ecosystems, eroding
historical monuments, causing damage to buildings and
vehicles, but also directly harming human health.
11. Conclusion:
Acid rain is a big problem. It causes the death of our
lakes, our rivers, wildlife and also harms people. It also
causes other problems which are also very serious such
as the release of aluminum and lead in our water
supplies. Unfortunately, we suffer because of this.
Hopefully acid rain in the future will be reduced as a
result of the measures taken.
12. Detected in rainfall are extremely dangerous
pollutants, such as platinum, palladium, iridium,
osmium, ruthenium, etc.. These elements are all
catalysts for cars. Their role is to reduce the pollution
caused by the release of gases.
Acid rain ''new generation''
13. With time and due to the natural deterioration of
catalysts, the aforementioned metals are released into
the atmosphere. These pollutants are airborne. The
water of rains lure them and scatters them everywhere.
14. These pollutants are highly toxic and cause allergies,
asthma, kidney and heart problems. In its report,
Greenpeace says the "new" acid rain affects plants.
They burn them causing suffocation, which deprives
them of oxygen, damaging them irreparably. This acid
rain has made its appearance in Athens, Mexico City,
Rome, New York, Frankfurt and many more cities.
15.
16. The new theory
A scientist in Norway, Rosenqvist, had trouble
believing that acid rain alone could affect lakes
in such deadly way.
17. Why, during heavy rain, can rivers be up to fifteen
times more acidic than the rain itself? It cannot only
be rain that destroys the lakes. "Soon scientists were
forced to accept this explanation due to the lack of a
better theory.
18. Sulfuric acid consists of two parts; the two ions. The
hydrogen ion is what makes a substance acid. The
other ion is sulphate. When there are more hydrogen
ions a substance is more acidic. Therefore, when rain
causes flooding river water passes through the soil.
19. Since the industrial revolution in Great Britain there
has been a continuously growing amount of sulfur in
soil. In rivers there is not enough sulfur to form acid in
large quantities.
20. However, in the soil there is a large amount of sulfur to
help form the acid. When the sulfur combines with
water the pH is much smaller. This phenomenon is the
most lethal effect of acidification in water.
21. But with the help of sulfur in the soil it can be done.
