Acid precipitation has been an important
environmental topic for many years, not only in
the United States, but in Europe as well. What is
acid precipitation?
Acids are an important group of chemicals. All acids contain chemicals that are
combined with hydrogen in a specific way. Acids are present in aspirin, carbonated
drinks, and your stomach.
Another group of chemicals is called bases. They contain oxygen and hydrogen that are
Combined with other chemicals. Chemicals containing bases are called alkaline.
Examples of alkaline substances are deodorants, ammonia cleaners, and the mortar
around bricks.
Acid precipitation occurs when water (rain, snow, sleet and fog) combines with
pollutants containing sulfur or nitrogen. This may bring the pH down to between 4 and
5.
Many laws and regulations have been created in United States and other countries to cut
down the amount of sulfur and nitrogen that is released into the air by human activity.
This seems to already be helping to raise the pH of precipitation back to normal. An
Illinois State Water Survey study has shown that the amount of sulfur in precipitation
has decreased the last few years over Illinois and much of the Northeastern United
States.
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