Harmful effects of acid rain

      

       In the industrial revolution period, 18^th-19^th century, in Europe, people used modern technology instead of human labor. The industries increased rapidly, and they released many toxic substances to the environment. These toxic substances caused many problems such as air pollution, land pollution and water pollution to our environment. One of the most notable concerns was air pollution because it contaminated of the air by such substances as fuel exhaust and smoke. When these substances met the rain water, it formed acid rain and drop down on earth. Acid rain contains harmful chemicals that can threaten not only on human being, but also on other properties. What are the harmful effects of acid rain? Indeed, acid rain causes harmful effects on trees and crops, infrastructure, aquatic ecosystem, and human’s health.  

       

     Acid rain has destroyed a large number of trees and crops, which are very important for human being. When acid rain drops onto the earth, it seeps into the soil, and suddenly the soil turn to an acidic state, which is abnormal condition for trees and crops to live in. Trees and crops can only survive and live normally under a certain amount of acid that usually neutral. Moreover, acid rain poisons trees and crops by dissolving toxic substances such as aluminum, lead and mercury, which are absorbed by the root. Consequently, their root will be destroyed. Acid rain not just dissolves such toxic metals, but also dissolves minerals and nutrients in the soil, which are then washed away before trees and crops have a chance of using them in order to grow. It results in making trees or crops to be grunt and die.

        

     Building and infrastructure are also damaged by acid rain, as are harmed tress and crops. It discolors and corrodes buildings and other infrastructures such as bridges, roads, statues, monuments, and other man-made structures. By way of illustration, Phsar Thom Tmey is discolored and corroded by acid rain, rain containing small amount of sulfur. It is discolored bit by bit until it becomes shabby. Acid rain dissolves sandstone, limestone, and marble, and corrodes ceramic, textiles, paints, and metals. Road constructions, bridges, statues and other man-made things are damaged badly as a consequence of acid rain.    

      

      Most of all, apart from trees and crops and building and infrastructure, acid rain also has harmful effect on aquatic ecosystem. When acid rain falls down, it washes out toxic substances from the soil into lakes, streams, rivers, sea, et cetera. It can make change to the ecosystem in which aquatic life lives. At the time pH level in the water decreases, the water will become acidic state that threatens not only fish and aquatic plants, but also kills bacteria that is essential for making water remains good. Toxic substances contaminated in acid rain destroy small aquatic plants and algae that are basically eaten by small fish in the system. When the number of these components becomes extinct, all kinds of fish and other living things in the ecosystem are also destructed, for they have interaction with each other. On the other word, we call it “Food chain”. Shortly, aquatic ecosystem is seriously damaged because of acid rain.

      

     Last but not least, acid rain affects human health adversely. It has the ability of harming us via the atmosphere as well as the soil where the food we eat is grown. As mentioned above, acid rain seeps into the soil and then reacts with metals in the soil. Moreover, once acid rain causes these toxic metals to be released, they can infiltrate into the drinking water and the animals or crops that use as sources of food. People, who I am convinced as victims, eat these crops and this polluted water; therefore, they may face many health problems such as respiratory like throat, nose and eye irritation, headache, asthma, and dry coughs. Particularly, children and aging people are easily defeated by these problems.    

      

      Clearly, acid rain results in many seriously harmful impacts on people, buildings and infrastructures, trees and crops and aquatic ecosystem. Looking at these bad effects, we, people living on the earth, must have obligation taking care of our environment by reducing the amount of using chemical substances that leads to environmental crisis such as acid rain. If all of us commit not to pollute our environment, in the future, this problem will not appear forever.