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Major source of acid rain. Acid rain - the negative effects of harmful precipitation

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Acid rain is a mixture of materials, both wet and dry, that fall to earth from the atmosphere. They contain elevated levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. Simply put, this means that the rain becomes acidic due to the presence of pollutants in the air. The air changes its composition due to emissions from cars and production processes. Main component acid rain- nitrogen. Sulfur is also found in acid rain.

The combustion of fossil fuels and industries that mainly emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) cause irreversible changes in the atmosphere. Acidity is determined based on the pH level in water droplets. Normal rainwater has a slightly acidic environment with a pH range of 5.3-6.0. Carbon dioxide and water present in the air together react to form carbonic acid, which is a weak acid. When the pH level of rainwater falls below this range, the aforementioned precipitation forms.

When these gases react with water and oxygen molecules, sulfuric and nitric acids are formed, among other chemicals found in the atmosphere. They are also called chemical compounds of medium acidity. They tend to cause weathering of matter, corrosion of metal, and peeling of paint on the surface of buildings.

Volcanic eruptions also contain certain chemicals that can cause acid rain. In addition, the burning of fossil fuels, the operation of factories and vehicles as a result of human activities also lead to an increase in the acidity of formations in the atmosphere.

Currently, a large number of acid rain observed in Southeastern Canada, the Northeastern states of America and most of Europe. They suffer greatly in Russia, Sweden, Norway and Germany, at least according to unbiased statistics. Besides, in recent times acid rainfall is observed in South Asia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and South India.

Precipitation forms

Acid precipitation comes in two forms

  • wet
  • dry

Each of them has a different effect on the surface of the earth. And each of them consists of various chemical elements. It is believed that dry forms of precipitation are more harmful, since they spread over great distances, often crossing not only the borders of cities, but also states.

Wet precipitation

When the weather is wet, acids fall to the ground as rain, sleet, or fog. The climate is adjusting, driven by the need to respond. Acids are removed from the atmosphere and deposited on earth's surface. When acid reaches the ground, it exerts Negative influence to a large number of animal, plant and aquatic species. Water enters rivers and canals, which mix with sea ​​water, thereby influencing marine environment a habitat.

Dry precipitation

It is a mixture of acid gases and particles. About half of the acidity in the atmosphere falls back to earth through dry deposition. If the wind blows in places where the weather is dry, acid pollutants turn into dust or smoke and fall to the ground as dry particles. These substances have a negative impact on cars, houses, trees and buildings. Nearly 50% of acid pollutants from the atmosphere are recycled through dry precipitation. These acidic pollutants can be washed away from the earth's surface by rainstorms. Then the acidity level water resources rises even more.

If wet precipitation sooner or later evaporates back into the atmosphere, then, in forests, dry precipitation clogs the pores of tree leaves.

Story

acid rain and Interesting Facts they have been known for quite some time. Acid rain was first mentioned in the 1800s, during industrial revolution. Scottish chemist Robert Angus Smith was the first to report this phenomenon in 1852. He devoted his life to researching the relationship between acid rain and air pollution in Manchester, England. His work attracted public attention only in the 1960s. The term was coined in 1972 when The New York Times published reports on the impact of climate change on forest growth.

Acid precipitation is a source of both natural and man-made disasters. But there is also an opposite effect. It is these catastrophes that are most often the sources of acid rain. The main reason for this is the burning of fossil fuels, which is accompanied by emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.

natural springs

Natural sources of problematic precipitation:

  1. The main natural causative agent of acid rain is volcanic emissions. Volcanoes emit acidic gases that create abnormal acidity. Against its backdrop, a record amount of precipitation falls. The earth suffers from phenomena such as fog and snow. The vegetation cover and the health of residents in the vicinity of volcanic formations suffer.
  2. Rotting vegetation, forest fires and biological processes in the environment and generate acid rain, forming gases.
  3. Dimethyl sulfide is a typical example of the main biological sources of sulfur-containing elements in the atmosphere. It is its emissions that react with water molecules with the help of electrical activity. Nitric acid becomes acid rain.

Technogenic sources

Human activities that release chemical gases such as sulfur and nitrogen are the main cause of acid rain. It is we humans who are to blame for the fact that the atmosphere destroys the planet. This activity is related to . It is the consequences of technogenic activities that lead to sulfur and nitrogen emissions from factories, energy facilities and cars. In particular, the use of coal for electricity generation is the largest source of gaseous emissions, resulting in acid rain.

Automobiles and factories also release large amounts of gaseous emissions into the air. The worst thing is that this process is repeated daily, especially in industrialized areas of the city with a lot of car traffic. These gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen and other chemicals with the formation of various acidic compounds, such as sulfuric acid, ammonium nitrate and nitric acid. These experiments result in extremely high amounts of acid rain.

Existing winds carry these acid mixtures to large areas across borders. They fall back to earth as acid rain or other forms of precipitation. Upon reaching the ground, they spread over the surface, soaking into the soil and entering lakes, rivers, and finally mixed with sea water.

The gases sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are mainly derived from electricity from coal combustion and are the cause of acid rain.

Effects of acid rain

Acid rain has a significant impact on environment and public health. Impact on aquatic environment very large. Acid rain either falls directly on water bodies or flows through forests, fields, and roads into streams, rivers, and lakes. Over a period of time, acids build up in the water and lower the pH. Aquatic plants and animals need certain level pH. To survive, it must remain at around 4.8. If the pH drops below, then the conditions become hostile to the survival of aquatic organisms.

Acid rain tends to change the pH and aluminum concentration. This greatly affects the pH level of the surface water, thereby affecting fish as well as other aquatic life forms. Below pH 5, most eggs will not hatch.

Lower levels can also kill adult fish. Precipitation since watersheds, which are discharged into rivers and lakes, reduce biodiversity in rivers and lakes. The water becomes more acidic. Many species, including fish, plants and various insects in lakes, rivers and streams, have become ill, and some have even been completely eradicated due to excess acid rain entering water resources.

Politicians, scientists, environmentalists and researchers are ringing the bells, trying to convey to the people. Unlike wet precipitation, dry precipitation is more difficult to measure. When acid is deposited, harmful organisms on the ground are washed into lakes and streams, which can cause uncontrolled climate change.

Acid rain is one of the main threats of our time, resulting from economic activity person.

We have already touched on this topic in our material - ACID RAIN IS THE ENEMY TO ALL LIVES. In this article, we present several precise definitions given to this phenomenon in respected dictionaries and encyclopedias.

Acid rain is...

Dictionary COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

Acid rain, a term used to describe the deposition of chemical pollutants in the form of both particulate matter and acid rain, hail, snow or fog. Cars, processes industrial production, the combustion of fossil fuels in power plants creates pollution mainly in the form of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons, which react with water and sunlight, forming at the same time weak sulfuric or nitric acid, ammonium salts, and also other mineral acids. All this is deposited on the ground, often on long distance from the source of the release, causing corrosion, death of trees, unwanted acidification of water and soil, and therefore a threat to human health. The degree of acidity is usually measured using the pH scale, a logarithmic system for measuring the concentration of hydrogen ions. The range of values ​​is from 0 (maximum acidity) to 14 (maximum alkalinity). The pH value = 5.6 corresponds to pure water.

Countries of the world. Dictionary. 1998

Peoples and cultures. Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia

Acid rain (acid rain), chemical pollution of water resources, flora and fauna, caused by the emission of exhaust gases as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels. The acidity of rain, snow and fog increases due to the absorption of exhaust gases, predominantly. oxides of sulfur and nitrogen emitted by power plants, factories and vehicles. K. f. cause damage to human health, causing bronchial diseases, destroy buildings made of limestone, increase the acidity of lakes and rivers, fatal to fish, animals, vegetation and forests. Acidic waters are also dangerous because they contain harmful metals, such as cadmium and mercury, which are usually retained in the soil. For the first time, the alarm regarding the impact of K. was sounded in Sweden in the 1960s; from them, of course, suffered, therefore, part of the forests of Europe, ch.ob. Central., as well as S., V. and S.-V. USA and Japan. In 1984, pl. countries signed a protocol to the Geneva Convention on the Control of Air Pollution (1979), agreeing to reduce sulfur emissions, although the most notorious air polluters - Great Britain, the USA, Poland and Spain - did not put their signatures on this document. Significant reductions in sulfur emissions require the reconstruction or closure of coal-fired power plants. Reducing nitric oxide levels can be achieved by reducing the life and speed of car and truck engines, and by equipping them with catalytic converters that remove most this gas (and the hydrocarbon contributing to education) from car exhaust; since 1992 installation catalytic converters mandatory in European countries; in the USA they have been widely used for air pollution control since the 1970s.

Peoples and cultures. Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia. - M.: Infra-M. Edited by R. Hoggart. 2002

ACID RAIN (acid rain), characterized by an increased content of acids (mainly sulfuric); pH value<4,5. Образуются при взаимодействии атмосферной влаги с транспортно-промышленными выбросами (главным образом серы диоксид, а также азота оксиды и др.). Вредно действуют на здоровье людей, растительный и животный мир, сооружения и конструкции; закисляют почвы и водоемы. Распространены в промышленных районах США, стран Западной Европы, России и др. Кислотные загрязнения могут содержаться в других атмосферных осадках (снег, град и т.п.).

Modern encyclopedia. 2000

Ecological dictionary

Acid rain is rain caused by atmospheric pollution with sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). They have a biocidal effect, in particular, the death of fish (for example, in the water bodies of Scandinavia due to the transfer of gas emissions in the industrial cities of England).

Ecological dictionary. - Alma-Ata: "Science". B.A. Bykov. 1983

Geography. Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia

Acid rain is one of the types of intense environmental pollution, which is the precipitation of drops of sulfuric and nitric acids with rain, resulting from the reaction of sulfur and nitrogen oxides emitted into the air by industrial enterprises and transport, with water droplets in the atmosphere. Acid droplets can be carried by air currents over long distances before falling out in acid rain. Acid rains cause great damage to forests, water bodies, crops, buildings, etc., and also adversely affect human health. The heaviest acid rain falls in and near the most developed industrial regions of the world. In 1984, in the Black Forest (Germany), about half of the trees in the forests were damaged by acid rain. Also, significant damage to forest areas is noted in the northeastern states of the United States and in Eastern Canada. To overcome the adverse effects of acid rain, national and international regulations are being set to reduce nitrogen and sulfur emissions into the atmosphere.

Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Edited by Professor A.P. Gorkin. 2006

As we can see from the above definitions, acid rain is not a local problem of individual industrial regions of our planet. The damage caused by such rains is global in nature and requires appropriate global solutions. To be more precise - active global solutions, since such damage is often irreparable / irreparable.

History of the term

For the first time the term "acid rain" was introduced in the year by the English explorer Robert Smith. His attention was drawn to the Victorian smog in Manchester. And although scientists of that time rejected the theory of the existence of acid rain, today no one doubts that acid rain is one of the causes of the death of life in reservoirs, forests, crops, and vegetation. In addition, acid rain destroys buildings and cultural monuments, pipelines, renders cars unusable, reduces soil fertility and can lead to seepage of toxic metals into aquifers. Normal rain water is also a slightly acidic solution. This is due to the fact that natural substances in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), react with rainwater. This produces a weak carbonic acid (CO2 + H2O -> H2CO3). . While the ideal pH of rainwater is 5.6-5.7, real life The acidity (pH) of rainwater in one location may differ from that of rainwater in another location. This primarily depends on the composition of gases contained in the atmosphere of a particular area, such as sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxides. In the year, the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius coined two terms - acid and base. He called acids substances that, when dissolved in water, form free positively charged hydrogen ions (H+). He called bases substances that, when dissolved in water, form free negatively charged hydroxide ions (OH-). The term pH is used as a measure of the acidity of water. The term pH means in translation from English - an indicator of the degree of concentration of hydrogen ions.

chemical reactions

It should be noted that even normal rainwater has a slightly acidic (pH around 6) reaction due to the presence of carbon dioxide in the air. Acid rain is formed by the reaction between water and pollutants such as sulfur oxide (SO2) and various oxides of nitrogen (NOx). These substances are emitted into the atmosphere by road transport, as a result of the activities of metallurgical enterprises and power plants. Sulfur compounds (sulfides, native sulfur and others) are found in coals and ores (especially a lot of sulfides in brown coals), when burned or roasted, volatile compounds are formed - sulfur oxide (IV) - SO 2 - sulfur dioxide, sulfur oxide (VI) - SO 3 - sulfuric anhydride, hydrogen sulfide - H 2 S (in small quantities, with insufficient firing or incomplete combustion, at low temperature). Various nitrogen compounds are found in coals, and especially in peat (since nitrogen, like sulfur, is part of biological structures from which these minerals were formed). When such fossils are burned, nitrogen oxides (acid oxides, anhydrides) are formed - for example, nitric oxide (IV) NO 2. Reacting with atmospheric water (often under the influence solar radiation, the so-called "photochemical reactions"), they turn into solutions of acids - sulfuric, sulphurous, nitrous and nitric. Then, together with snow or rain, they fall to the ground.

Environmental and Economic Consequences

The consequences of acid rain are observed in the USA, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, the republics of the former Yugoslavia and in many other countries the globe. Acid rain has a negative impact on water bodies - lakes, rivers, bays, ponds - increasing their acidity to such a level that flora and fauna die in them. There are three stages of the impact of acid rain on water bodies. The first stage is the initial one. With an increase in water acidity (pH values ​​less than 7), aquatic plants begin to die, depriving other animals of the reservoir of food, the amount of oxygen in the water decreases, and algae (brown-green) begin to flourish. The first stage of eutrophication (bogging) of a reservoir. At pH6, freshwater shrimp die. The second stage - acidity rises to pH 5.5, bottom bacteria that decompose organic matter and leaves die, and organic debris begins to accumulate at the bottom. Then plankton dies - the tiny animal that forms the basis the food chain reservoir and feeds on substances formed during the decomposition of bacteria organic matter. The third stage - acidity reaches pH 4.5, all fish die, most frogs and insects. The first and second stages are reversible when the effect of acid rain on the reservoir ceases. As organic matter accumulates at the bottom of water bodies, toxic metals begin to leach out of them. The increased acidity of the water contributes to a higher solubility of hazardous metals such as aluminum, cadmium, and lead from sediments and soils. These toxic metals pose a risk to human health. People, water drinkers high in lead or eating fish high in mercury may acquire serious illnesses. Acid rain damages more than just aquatic flora and fauna. It also destroys vegetation on land. Scientists believe that although the mechanism has not been fully understood to date, “a complex mixture of pollutants, including acid precipitation, ozone, and heavy metals together lead to forest degradation. Economic losses from acid rain in the United States are estimated by one study to be east coast 13 million dollars and by the end of the century the losses will reach 1.750 billion dollars from the loss of forests; $8.300 billion in crop losses (only in the Ohio River Basin) and $40 million in Minnesota alone in medical expenses. The only way to change the situation for the better, according to many experts, is to reduce the amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Literature

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .

See what "Acid Rain" is in other dictionaries:

    - (acid rain) precipitation(including snow), acidified (pH below 5.6) due to the high content of industrial emissions in the air, mainly SO2, NO2, HCl, etc. As a result of acid rain entering the surface layer of the soil and ... ... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

    - (acid rains), characterized by a high content of acids (mainly sulfuric); pH value<4,5. Образуются при взаимодействии атмосферной влаги с транспортно промышленными выбросами (главным образом серы диоксид, а также азота … Modern Encyclopedia

    Rain caused by atmospheric pollution with sulfur dioxide (SO2). They have a biocidal effect, in particular, the death of fish (for example, in the water bodies of Scandinavia due to the transfer of gas emissions in the industrial cities of England). Ecological dictionary. Alma Ata: ... ... Ecological dictionary

    acid rain- - rains with a pH of 5.6. General chemistry: textbook / A. V. Zholnin ... Chemical terms

    - (acid rain), precipitation (including snow), acidified (pH below 5.6) due to the high content of industrial emissions in the air, mainly SO2, NO2, HCl, etc. As a result of acid rain entering the surface layer soil... encyclopedic Dictionary

    One of the types of intense environmental pollution, which is the precipitation of drops of sulfuric and nitric acids with rain, arising from the reaction of sulfur and nitrogen oxides emitted into the air by industrial enterprises and transport, ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia

    acid rain- (acid rain), chem. pollution of water resources, flora and fauna caused by the emission of exhaust gases from the combustion of fossil fuels. The acidity of rain, snow and fog increases due to the absorption of exhaust gases, advantageously ... ... Peoples and cultures

    - (acid rain), atm. precipitation (including snow), acidified (pH below 5.6) due to increased. content in the air prom. emissions, Ch. arr. SO2, NO2, HCl, etc. As a result of K. d. getting into the surface layer of soil and water bodies, acidification develops, which ... ... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

    acid rain- are caused by the presence of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen in the atmosphere, which appear due to the oxidation of sulfur and nitrogen during the combustion of fossil fuels. Further oxidation occurs in the clouds, the reactions in which are catalyzed by ozone, ... ... Beginnings of modern natural science

Acid rain is a serious environmental problem, and its cause can be called universal environmental pollution. Frequent acid rains cause concern not only for scientists, but also for ordinary people, since such types of precipitation have a negative impact on health.

Acid rain is characterized by a low pH. Ordinary precipitation has a level of this indicator of 5.6. It should be noted that even with small deviations from the norm, the consequences for living organisms can be serious.

With significant shifts, a reduced level of acidity can cause the death of fish, as well as many insects and even amphibians. In addition, in areas where acid rain occurs, the presence of acid burns on the foliage of trees is sometimes noticed, and some plants even die off. The negative impact after acid rain has fallen can be felt by many people. Following such a downpour, accumulation of toxic gases in the atmosphere can occur, and it is extremely undesirable to breathe such a gas-air mass. The consequences will not be long in coming, even with a short walk during such precipitation, cardiovascular, bronchopulmonary diseases, and asthma may occur.

Can acid rain alone pose a threat?

The problem of acid rain has become more global in recent decades, so all the inhabitants of the Earth would do well to think about their role - positive or negative - in this natural phenomenon. You should know that most of the harmful substances that enter the air are a product of human life and practically do not disappear anywhere. Most of them remain in the atmosphere and will one day return to earth along with precipitation. And the very impact of acid rain is so serious that in some cases it may take more than one hundred years to eliminate the consequences.

In order to become more familiar with the possible consequences of acid rain, it is desirable to understand what the concept itself carries. Most scientists unanimously believe that such a formulation can be considered too narrow in order to capture the full potential of a global problem. One should not study exclusively rains, one should also pay attention to acid hail, fog and snowfall, which also belong to the carriers of harmful substances and compounds, because their formation is mostly identical in terms of process. It should not be forgotten that with stable dry weather, toxic gases or dust clouds, or both, may appear. But these formations also belong to acid precipitation.

Causes of acid rain

Causes of acid rain are by and large directly dependent on the human factor. The constant pollution of the atmosphere with the use of acid-forming compounds (such as sulfur oxide, hydrogen chloride, nitrogen, etc.) leads to an imbalance. The most important producers of such substances are, of course, large industrial enterprises, for example, metallurgical, oil refineries, thermal power plants that burn coal or fuel oil. Despite filters and purification systems, modern technology has not yet reached the level that would allow to completely eliminate not only negative impacts, but also industrial waste itself.

In addition, there has been an increase in acid rain associated with the growth of vehicles on the planet. A large amount of exhaust gases, although in small doses, still contributes to the appearance of harmful acidic compounds. And if you recalculate the total number of vehicles, then the degree of pollution, one might say, has reached a critical level. In addition to all of the above, many household items also contribute, for example, aerosols, cleaners / detergents, etc.

Another cause of acid rain, apart from the human factor, may be some natural processes. In particular, volcanic activity can lead to their occurrence, during which a large amount of sulfur is ejected. Moreover, it is involved in the formation of gaseous compounds in the process of decomposition of individual organic substances, which in turn also leads to air pollution.

Mechanism of acid rain formation

All harmful substances that have been released into the atmosphere begin to react with elements of solar energy, carbon dioxide or water, resulting in the formation of acidic compounds. Together with the evaporation of moisture, they rise into the atmosphere, after which clouds form. Thus, the formation of acid rain occurs, the formation of snowflakes or hailstones, which will return to the earth everything that they have absorbed, along with other chemicals.

In some regions of the Earth, some deviations from the norm within 2-3 units were noted. So, with an acceptable acidity level of pH 5.6, in the Moscow region and China there were cases of precipitation with a pH level of 2.15. It is impossible to predict the exact location of acid rain, as it is possible that the clouds that have formed can be blown away by the wind for long distances from where the pollution occurred.

Composition of acid rain

The main components of acid rain are sulfuric and sulphurous acids, as well as the presence of ozone produced during thunderstorms. There are also nitrogen types of precipitation, in which nitric and nitrous acids are present as the main ones. Rarely, chlorine and methane can be the causes of acid rain. And, of course, other harmful substances may fall out with precipitation, based on what was in the composition of household and industrial waste emitted into the atmosphere in specific regions.

Why is acid rain dangerous?

Acid rains, together with their consequences, are the subject of constant observations, which are carried out by scientists from all countries. However, their forecasts are extremely disappointing. Precipitation, in which the pH level is lowered, poses a danger not only to people, but also to flora and fauna.

When it hits the ground, acid rain damages plants by depriving them of the nutrients they need to grow and develop. Among other things, toxic metals are drawn to the surface. With a high concentration of acids, trees can die due to precipitation, the soil becomes unusable for further crop cultivation, and it will take decades to restore it.

The same situation is with reservoirs. The composition of acid rain leads to an imbalance in the natural environment, after which the problem of river pollution arises. This, in turn, leads to the death of fish, and also slows down the growth of algae. Consequently, entire bodies of water, lakes and rivers may cease to exist for a long time.

Before hitting the ground, acid rain, passing by air masses, leaves particles of toxic substances in the atmosphere. This is considered extremely unfavorable, because it negatively affects the health of people and animals, and also significantly damages buildings. So most paint and varnish and facing materials, metal structures begin to dissolve as soon as drops of the ill-fated rain fall on them.

Global Environmental Issues of Acid Rain

Among the global environmental problems caused by acid rainfall can be:

  • Changes in the ecosystem of water bodies that led to the death of flora and fauna. It will be impossible to use such sources for drinking, because heavy metals will exceed the norm many times over;
  • Damage to the roots and leaves will lead to the destruction of protection against cold and disease. This is especially true for coniferous trees in severe frosts;
  • Soil contamination with toxins. The plant world, located on the contaminated areas of the soil, will certainly weaken or die. Harmful elements will come along with useful substances, which will be less and less.

Harm of acid rain to people

The death of domestic animals, commercial fish species, crops - all this will, to one degree or another, affect the quality of life and the economy of any state.

Fish or animal meat can be hazardous to health when eaten in precisely those places where acid poisoning has occurred. Such meat may contain a critical content of toxic compounds or heavy metal ions. If it enters human bodies, it can lead to severe intoxication, serious liver or kidney disease, blockage of nerve channels, and the formation of blood clots. Some of the effects of acid poisoning may take generations to appear.

Ways to deal with acid precipitation

Today, the United States, China, and, of course, Russia are leading the main risk group for acid precipitation. Actually, in these states, the coal processing and metallurgical industries are highly developed and, accordingly, there are a large number of such enterprises. However, both Canada and Japan are considered dangerous, in the direction of which acid precipitation can be driven by the wind. According to some studies, if preventive measures are not taken, the list of such states can be replenished with many more candidates, and this will not have to wait long.

Fighting acid rain at the local level is almost useless. In order for the situation to change for the better, comprehensive measures must be taken. And they are possible only with the simultaneous and coordinated actions of many countries. Academic science is trying to find new purification systems to minimize emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, however, the percentage component of acid precipitation is only growing.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

The term "acid rain" was introduced by the English chemist R.E. Smith over 100 years ago.

In 1911, in Norway, fish deaths were recorded as a result of acidification of natural water. However, only at the end of the 60s, when similar cases in Sweden, Canada, and the USA attracted public attention, the suspicion arose that the cause was rain with a high content of sulfuric acid.

Acid rain is atmospheric precipitation (rain, snow) with a pH less than 5.6 (high acidity).

Acid rains are formed during industrial emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, which, when combined with atmospheric moisture, form sulfuric and nitric acids. As a result, rain and snow are acidified (pH value below 5.6). In Bavaria (Germany) in August 1981 it rained with acidity pH = 3.5. The maximum recorded acidity of precipitation in Western Europe is pH = 2.3.

The total global anthropogenic emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides are more than 255 million tons annually (1994). Acid-forming gases remain in the atmosphere for a long time and can travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. Thus, a significant part of the emissions from the UK ends up in the northern countries (Sweden, Norway, etc.), i.e. transported across borders and damages their economies.