What Is Environmental Acidification?

The environment around us is affected in many ways by human activities. Environmental acidification is one of the harmful effects of anthropogenic activities. This problem is caused by mixing of some harmful acids in the air.

Environmental acidification can aggravate serious diseases like asthma and other breathing disorders. Another major problem that is caused by environmental acidification is acid rain.

Mainly, countries in northern Europe, northeastern United States, some parts of China and Canada are affected by the problem of environmental acidification. Other parts of the world like south eastern Asia also have a big percentage of anthropogenic acid in the atmosphere.

Ground water acidification is also a part of environmental acidification. The main cause of acidification of ground water is the internal processes in the soil zone. There are some external factors also that are imposed by the soil water system.

The examples of internal factors are reduction of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in the soil zone. Oxidation of the water and soil is responsible for the internal factors of ground water acidification.

The external causes of ground water acidification are acid rain and the reaction of other chemicals with the external ground water. Oxidation of ground water with sulfuric acid is also one of the major causes of ground water acidification. The process of soil erosion also causes soil acidification.

Environmental acidification was first observed in the surface water, and later in the ground water. But in 1980s, the clear evidence of soil acidification was discovered. A large amount of water passes through the soil before entering into the lakes and rivers. This fact makes the soil acidification a big reason of the ground water acidification.

According to many researchers, the surface layer of soils, especially the top 20cm of soil, is the pool of nutrients. Thus, if soil acidification continues, it will be detrimental to agriculture.

Another facet of environmental acidification is global warming. Due to global warming, the atmosphere of earth is becoming hot. The main reason of this is the increasing population and deforestation. Human beings are continuously cutting down trees. This causes less rain and increase in temperature. Continuous burning of fossil fuels also makes the atmosphere more acidic.

So, to protect environmental acidification and global warming, human beings need to alter their ways. Otherwise, the time is not far when our future generations would be cursed to bear the brunt of our deeds.