Ecological consequences of The Acid rain

Abstract

Acid rain affects each and every components of ecosystem. Acid rain also damages man-made materials and structures Acid rain is one of the most serious environmental problems emerged due to air pollution Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of nitrogen and ozone to some extent are the primary causes of acid rain. These pollutants originate from human activities such as combustion of burnable waste, fossil fuels in thermal power plants and automobiles. These constituents interact with reactants present in the atmosphere and result into acid deposition Due to the interaction of these acids with other constituents of the atmosphere, protons are released causing increase in the soil acidity, lowering of soil pH mobilizes and leaches away nutrient cations and increases availability of toxic heavy metals. Such changes in the soil chemical characteristics reduce the soil fertility, which ultimately causes the negative impact on growth and productivity of forest trees and crop plants. Acid rain has also been reported in India. A rainfall of pH 3.5 was reported in Mumbai. The air pollution levels are steadily rising in the metropolitan cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai. Acid rain problem in Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and southern coastal India has been predicted to lead to infertile soil. Acid rain makes the water bodies acidic. The amphibians are also affected by acidification of water bodies .At low pH, many species of amphibians including frogs, toads and salamander are particularly sensitive. Indirect effect of acid rain on human health involves toxic heavy metals because these are liberated from soil when soil gets acidified. The most common heavy metals are Al, Cd, Zn, Pb, Hg, Mn and Fe. These mobilized contaminants are dissolved in soil and water make their way to groundwater that is drunk by humans and contaminate the food (Fish, meat, and vegetables) eaten by humans .These heavy metals get accumulated in the body and resulted into various health problems like dry coughs, asthma, headache, eye, nose and throat irritations. Acid rain problem has been tackled to some extent in the developed world by reducing the emission of the gases causing acid rain.