Acid Rain Effects on Human Health

What is Acid Rain?

Acid rain is a type of precipitation that is unusually acidic due to atmospheric pollutants, primarily sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide, which react with water molecules present in atmosphere to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Usually, acid rain can be seen in the form of rain, fog, or snow. However, in some cases, they may even come down as hailstones or dust. When acid rain falls to the ground, it can have harmful effects on the environment, ecosystems, and human-made structures.

Causes

The main sources of the atmospheric pollutants, SO2 and Nox are:

• Fossil Fuel Burning

The huge quantities of fossil fuels burnt in industries and power plants for the generation of electricity are responsible for most of the acid rain incidents today. Around 67% of sulphuric acid and around 25% of nitric oxide are formed in the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels. Once this is controlled, the harmful effects of acid rain on humans can be reduced considerably.

• Gases from Motor Vehicles

Close to 50% of nitric oxide emissions in the atmosphere are due to the harmful gases released from motor vehicles and large, heavy-duty equipment.

• Industries related to manufacturing and oil refining

Manufacturing and oil refining industries release a considerable amount of sulphur and nitrogen into the atmosphere. Thus, areas with these industries are more prone to experience acid rain than others.

• Natural phenomena

Sometimes, natural reasons, like volcanic eruptions, can cause acid rain. However, this contributes to a very small percentage, as most causes are human-made.

Effect on Humans

The acidity/alkalinity of any substance is measured using a pH scale. The neutral value is 7- anything lesser than this indicates the acidic nature of a substance and anything higher indicates its alkalinity. While the pH level of normal rainwater is about 5.6, it is around 4.2 for acid rain.

This highly acidic nature of the rain comes with severe health hazards. The most common acid rain human health effects are:

• Slight to medium irritation in the eyes and skin; some people also experience irritation in their mucous membranes when they experience acid rain

• Accumulation of fluid in the lungs caused due to inhaling nitric oxide content present in acid rain

• Problems in the dental cavity, as exposure to acids can hamper the enamel layer of the teeth

• Breathing-related ailments like asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis

• Issues with the cardiovascular system, especially among people with an already existing heart disease

• Babies born with low birth weight leading to reduced immunity and overall development in them

• Increased risk of lung carcinoma when exposed to the harsh chemicals in acid rain

Other than humans, acid rain also impacts the overall ecosystem of the environment and endangers biodiversity to a great extent.

How to Protect Yourself?

The effects of acid rains on health can be controlled effectively if you take care of the pollutants that cause these rains:

• Conservation of Energy

One of the most important reasons for acid rain is burning of fossil fuels for power generation. When you consume less power, the need for burning fuels is reduced. Switching off energy sources when not in use, shifting to energy-efficient appliances, using renewable energy resources and using alternative forms of energy (like solar energy) are some easy but effective ways to reduce the harmful effects of acid rain on humans.

• Always filtering the water from factories and getting rid of toxic elements in it before shifting them towards rivers

• Coming up with innovative and sophisticated solutions to increase the usage of renewable energy

• Planting more trees in your surrounding areas, as trees can take in the polluted air, thereby reducing the effects of acid rain on humans

• Increasing public awareness about the dangers of burning fossil fuels as well as encouraging the use of renewable energy resources