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Acid Rain


Similar to sulfur dioxide, reactions are heavily catalyzed in heavily polluted clouds where iron, manganese, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide are present. Also, the formation of nitric acid can trigger further reactions which release new hydroxyl radicals to generate more sulfuric acid. The following is a typical reaction, which is direct combination of nitrogen and oxygen at the high temperature inside a car engine. N2 + O2 + heat =* 2NO 2NO + O2 =* 2NO2 This nitrogen monoxide immediately reacts with oxygen and forms nitrogen dioxide in the following reaction 3NO2 + H2O =* 2HNO3 (aq) + NO The nitrogen will then dissolve in water in the atmosphere and produce nitric acid There are several other potential contributors to acid rain. These include oxidation by products of alkene-ozone reactions, oxidation by reactions of NxOy species and oxidation by peroxy radicals. Each of these reactions, however prove to be minor contributors and are rather insignificant. How Is Acid Rain Harmful? Environmental Hazards Aquatic Ecosystems Acid rain has an effect on virtually all ecosystems it touches. Perhaps the most prominent, and equally as troubling is the harmful results it produces when in contact with lakes, streams and ponds. Scientists studying the effects of acid rain went to a lake about 135 km away from the Ontario- Manitoba border called Lake 223. This lake, so far north acid rain did not reach it, was extremely healthy, and was a perfect setting to explore the effects of acid rain on aquatic ecosystems. In 1974, scientists began to add sulfuric acid into the lake. The acid was added very slowly, and it was four years later when they saw a major change. The freshwater shrimp began to die out. Fathead minnows stopped reproducing and began to vanish. As the scientists continued adding acid to Lake 223 in low amounts, large algae mats began to form and crayfish became unhealthy and died. Seven years after the beginning of the experiment, the lake trout stopped reproducing, and most of the fish species, leeches, crawfish and mayflies began to die.


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