Save Our Planet From Acid Rain

Mohamad Amirrul Bin Maripat, BK13110208

In order to pursue the development of the country and improve the living standards
of the population, economic activities of a country causes people do not care about
environmental problems arising from activities and implementation project.
Negative effects from rushing development process cause serious pollution
problems. Pollution becomes one of the aspect that often associated with the
environmental which leads to the environmental changes either directly or
indirectly. Air pollution can be said one of the biggest impact on environment. Air
pollution caused the phenomenon of acid rain that causes natural disaster that
threaten our planet. This paper are focusing on acid rain problem and how the civil
engineer respond to this environmental concern.
In 1980, National Acid Precipitation Assesment Program (NAPAP) established by
congress which is a program that determine the causes and effects of acid rain and
to make recommendation concerning its control (J. Laurence Kulp, 1987) . Acid rain
suspected to have negative effects on surface of waters, building materials and
human health. Acid rain which previously negligible now become a serious problems
through the range of the research program. Basically, all rain in nature contain acid
even before industrial revolution. However, when the rain contained additional
acidity it call acid rain. Additional acidity in rain is the result of the emission of two
compound which is sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide and define by pH scale which
has a scale from 0 to 14. The lower the pH value in rain the higher acidity. The
range of pH in rain between 0 to 7 are consider acidic and when it becomes lower
than 5 it cause acid rain . Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide are bi-product from
burning fuels in electric utilities and from the industrial and natural sources. These
chemical reach with water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and sunlight in athmosphere to
form sulfuric and nitric acids. (H.John Heinz, 2008). These chemicals linked with
various health problems such as eye irritations, and lung disorders such as asthma
and bronchitis.

According to EPA Information (2004), Australia has not experience the problems
caused by acid rain in other countries around the world. The emission produced in
this country are, in a global context, relatively small, and their geographical position
isolates their country from pollution caused by others. Australia does not have a
high potential for acid deposition as a result of demography and use of
predominantly low-sulfur fuels.( Frank Murray, 1988). In Northeast Asia, there is
growing concern about the future as the various energy use and development
scenarios imply much higher-levels of acid deposition over a much wider area.( See
Chang ET AL, 1996). In southern China, South Korea, Taiwan and southern Japan,
high levels of acidic compound are being deposited and cause concern where the
critical loads or threshold may be passed, above which the ecological system in
different regions can no longer withstand acid deposition. There are also major
ecological consequences in other part of the world from acid rain. EPA Information
2004 stated that most lakes in country such as Sweeden have become so acidic,
from acid rain resulting from pollution in other countries and no longer able to
support fish life. It affect plants and modify the acidity of soil in that country.
Acid rain can be reduce through the process called Fluidized Bed Combustion (FBC).
This process used to reduce sulfur dioxide emission from the the utility plant to
atmosphere during combustion. This process contains imestone bed that are
crushed and diluted into the fuel. This enables the limestones to react with sulfur
and reduce emission by 90%. The emission are reduce by remove the flue gas as it
leaves. Flue gas refer to mixture of gases resulting from combustion and other
reaction in chamber. Another way to reduce acid rain is by using scrubbers.
Scrubbers are liquid like filters for the gases resulting from combustion. Installation
of scrubbers can remove 80% - 90% of the sulfur dioxide. Scrubbers are used in a
process known as wet flue gas desulfurization which taken into action after
combustion process. Scrubbers are required at the downward end of the boiler.
Engineer play an important role in providing environmental development that can
improve the quality of life of society. Especially for environmental engineers, they
should have a good understanding of how ecosystem work and how they may
respond. How engineer responds can be seen from the story of civil and
environmental engineer Professor Charles T. Driscoll which has unraveled the
mysteries of complex ecosystems and successfully navigate his way through

countless faculty meeting. Twenty years of his career prepared him for the media
blitz that followed the March 2001 publication of Acid Rain Revisited, a report he
wrote that summarize the advance in scientific understanding since passage of the
1990 amendments of the Clean Air Act.( Yackel, 2002). Driscoll said that he spent
the next three weeks briefing the media, giving presentation, and appearing on talk
show. In his book also said regarding his job such as collecting the data, present the
facts, and provide computer models that project possible outcomes, so those
enacting public policy can make informed decision. It can be seen clearly that the
environmental engineer was becoming an instrumental in alerting the public about
current issues happening on the environment. The problems regarding the
environmental concern face by civil engineer are likely become more complex in the
next century. It was anyhow become a new challenge for them as leader in
protecting environment, shaping future of society and improve the quality of life.
As a user, we can reduce acid rain problem by saving energy and use less
transportation. Turning off appliances when they are not

in use, use alternative

energy sources such as solar, riding a bicycle seems normal thing to do but actually
the most effective way to reduce acid rain problem. All this alternative will reduce
the amount of fossil fuels use which will be burn and release to atmosphere. Using a
bicycle rather than using vehicle reducing the emission of nitric oxide which become
the major contributor to acid rain.

Reference
Charles, E (2005). Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases. 4 th Ed. WASWORTH
CENGAGE Learning. United states
Holper, P (2004).EPA Information. Acid Rain: Why it is a concer. Issue March 2004.
Government Of South Australia.
Kulp, J.L. ,Henric, C.N. (1987). The causes and Effect Of Acid Deposition. Interim
Assesment, National Acid Precipitation Assesment Program Wasshington D.C: U.S
Government Printing Office 1987

Tay Simon, S.C (2001). Fire, Haze and Acid Rain: The social and Political Framework
of Air Pollution in Asean and Asia. Singapore Institute of International Affair.
Phamornsuwana, S. Cause, Effect, and Solution of Acid Rain. Retrieve on 11
September 2016 from http://sites.google.com/site/acidrain1project/