Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Release of SO2 and NOX by anthropogenic activities can result in acid formation, deposition
SO2 reacts in the atmosphere to form H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) NOX react in the atmosphere to form HNO3 (nitric acid)
oxidation
SO2 SO42-
H2S, S2-
NH3
oxidation
Sulfur: Coal
Contains up to several % Sulfur as metal sulfides (e.g. FeS2) When burned, coal sulfur oxidizes to SO2(g) Release of SO2 Atmospheric H2SO4 Dry acid particulates (sulfate aerosols)
Carbonic acid Dissolution of atmospheric CO2 into cloud droplets forms dissolved carbonic acid (H2CO3), giving some weak acidity (clean rainwater pH ~ 5.6) CO2 + H2O = H2CO3 H2CO3 = HCO3- + H+ (H+ gives acidity)
Weak acids = weakly dissociate in solution, mostly remain intact in the molecular form Carbonic acid, most organic acids Strong acids = completely dissociate in solution one mole of sulfuric acid yields one mole of H+ Sulfuric acid, Nitric acid, Hydrochloric acid (HCl)
pH Scale
pH = -log[H+]
So, if a strong acid has a total concentration in water of 0.01 moles/L, its pH will be
pH = -log(0.01) = -(-2) = 2
Other (8%)
Transportation (7%)
Most emissions are from transportation Nitrogen oxide emissions from automobiles
Transportation (53%)
Ecological damage
Acidification of watersheds
Lakes Rivers Groundwater
Natural buffering
Aquifer rock and surface exposed rock can naturally buffer acidity, depending on rock composition Carbonate rock: strongly buffers pH, neutralizes acidity from rain CaCO3 + H+ = Ca2+ + HCO3(a tiny bit of limestone dissolves)
Limestone rock
Will neutralize acid rain, ameliorating the effects of acid deposition
Silicate rock
Does not react with acids as quickly, will not provide much buffering capacity, does not neutralize acid deposition
Sensitive areas
Exposed silicate bedrock No significant carbonates
Other areas
Carbonates (mostly limestone) exposed at surface
Nutrient Leaching
Acids mixing into soil solutions will be neutralized, at first Nutrient cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, Na+,..) will leach from soil organic matter and minerals Cations are released into solution H+ (acidity) is taken up by soil particles, organic acids in soil Leached nutrients will be washed away in water as it drains down through soil layers into groundwater, or into surface water channels Long term effects: Leaching of mineral cations = starvation of soil, plants Exhaustion of soil buffering capacity (ability to neutralize acid deposition)
Waldsterben
Slow onset Encroaches over decades Will require decades to centuries to recover Acid rain, woods, Jizera Mountains, Czech Republic Wikipedia Image
Smoky Mtns in
Eastern USA
Black Forest,
Germany
China
Acidification of Lakes
Sustained acidification can exhaust buffering capacity of lake water, surface sediments
Lake pH drops once buffering capacity is used up Dramatic declines in aquatic life (insects, molluscs, fish) Requires decades to centuries to recover Remediation Expensive, only partially effective, must be repeated Addition of lime (CaO) to lakes is a common method
Acidification of Lakes
Economic ore minerals of these metals are often hosted in pyritic rock
Excavation and dumping of mine waste (spoil) at the surface Produces large volumes of pyritic rock at surface Opens passages into subsurface rock, allowing air, water flow Long term effects: Oxidation of sulfide minerals by bacteria Flux of acidic drainage from discontinued mine sites
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7812258
High grade nickel and copper deposits, hosted in sulfide 2006: Kennecott Minerals applies for air discharge, groundwater discharge, mining, land use lease and exploration lease permits from MDEQ Permits granted in 2008, but US EPA must still approve underground injection control permit & National Wildlife Foundation is challenging the permitting
Thiobacillus ferrooxidans
Acidophilic bacterium (lives at pH < 2) Fixes C by oxidizing Fe(II) and S(-II) in pyrite Produces acidity Very common
AMD Effects
Red or orange color is due to particulates of oxidized Fe compounds (rust) in the water
AMD Effects
Presently a Superfund site, former site of base metal mining now a massive AMD problem
ca.water.usgs.gov/water_quality/acid/
Declared a Superfund site in 1983, former site of base metal mining now a massive AMD problem
Mine drainage
Keswick Reservoir
Keswick Reservoir
Photo from EPA Superfund 25th Anniversary Water treatment plant was built in 1994 *>1.3 billion gallons of acid mine drainage have been treated so far