Acidification: its impact on the environment and mitigation strategies

Abstract

The effect of acidification on ecosystems is reviewed. About 30% of the world land area is acidified mostly by natural processes. Only a small part of it is acidified from pollution which leads to extensive forest and surface water deterioration in Europe and North America. The damage is especially visible in areas of poor soil quality. The acid deposition pattern is characterized, with a special emphasis on Poland. It was shown that strategies for mitigation of ecosystem acidification lead to a decrease of SO 2 emissions due to the use of lower sulphur content fuels and application of desulphurisation methods. Also, a decrease in NO x emissions is observed due to use of catalysts and application of NO x removal technologies. However, since about 50% of NO x emission is from vehicles, this improvement is offset by a continuously increasing vehicle population. The application of liming, forest fertilisation and suitable land use for mitigation of ecosystem acidification is also reviewed.