- The acids (SO2 and NOX) in acid rain have a corrosive effect on limestone, sandstone, and marble buildings.
- Water and Sulfur Dioxide make Sulfurous Acid (H2SO3), which further reacts to make sulfuric acid (H2SO4).
- Sulfuric Acid reacts with the calcite in limestone and other stones in a neutralization reaction.
- Gypsum is created and the limestone crumbles.
- The Calcium Carbonate in the building materials dissolve in weak acids.
- Acid rain contributes to the corrosion of metals such as bronze as well as paint and stone.
- This reduces the societal value of roads, highways, and bridges.
- This can also cause the roads, highways, and bridges to become really dirty.
- Acid rain also leads to increased maintenance costs.
- Bridges will also become dangerous to travel on and may collapse.
- Over the past two decades, there have been numerous reports of damage to automotive paints and other coatings.
- It appears as irregularly shaped, permanently etched areas.
- Damage is usually permanent and the only solution is to repaint.
- The general consensus within the auto industry is that some type of environmental fallout causes the damage. (Acid Rain)
- Acid rain can scar automotive coatings and traces indicate elevated levels of sulfate.
- The pollutants from the combustion of fossil fuels react with water vapor and oxidants, they are transformed into sulfuric and nitric acids.
- The sulfuric and nitric acids then damage paints and finishes.
- The best way to prevent acid rain damages is by frequently washing and hand drying your vehicle.
- Acid rain cost about $5 billion annually in damages of materials, forests, lakes, and agriculture.
- That includes buildings, roads, highways, bridges, transportation, fisheries, forestry, and agriculture.
- Other costs may be included.
- The EPA's Acid Rain Program costs some money to reduce damages.
- Acid-resistant coatings cost $5 per car, or about $61 million a year.
- Acid rain harms or kills fish and decreases pH in soils and increases levels of aluminum in the soil.
- Decreased pH and increased aluminum is directly toxic to fish and trees' growths would be stunted.
- Trees start dying, and the effect of acid rain on soil depends on the soil's buffering capacity.
- Fisheries produce less from acid rain, forests are not as healthy or big to cultivate from.
- In agriculture, crops will be affected, but this can be totally denied by using fertilizers, which is not always desirable. (Artificial)
- Limestone increases buffering capacity.
- The EPA's Acid Rain Program costs $3 billion per year, but we are benefited in $122 billion annually.
- Acid Rain damages round up to about $5 billion annually.
- The benefits of the PM2.5 particle reduction come up to $100 billion yearly in materials, forests, lakes, and agriculture.
- The cost of PM2.5 particle reduction is $3 billion yearly.
- We additionally pay $3 billion, $2 billion in SO2 reduction and $1 billion in NOx reduction
- The total value of the health benefits of the prevented PM2.5 particles is $108 billion in the US and $6 billion for Canada.
By: Praveen S.