history of acid rain

     The corrosive effect of polluted, acidic city air on limestone and marble was noted in the 17th century by John Evelyn, who remarked upon the poor condition of the Arundel marbles. Since the Industrial Revolution, emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides to the atmosphere have increased. In 1852, Robert Angus Smith was the first to show the relationship between acid rain and atmospheric pollution in Manchester, England. Though acidic rain was discovered in 1852, it was not until the late1960s that scientist  began widely observing and studying the phenomenon. The term "acid rain" was coined in 1870s after The New York Times promulgated reports from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire of the myriad deleterious environmental effects demonstrated effects demonstrated to result from it.

       Occasional pH readings in rain and fog water of well below 2.4 he been reported in indrustialized areas. Industrial acid rain is a substantial problem in China and Russia and areas down - wind from them. These areas all burn sulfur - containing coal to generate heat and electricity. The problem of acid rain not only  has increased with population and industrial growth, but has become more widespread. The use off tall smokestacks to reduce local pollution has contributed to the spread of acid rain by releasing gases into regional atmospheric circulation. Often deposition occurs a considerable distance downwind of the emission, with mountainous regions tending to receive the greatest deposition (simply because of their higher rainfall). an example of this effect is the low pH of rain (compared to the local emissions) which falls in Scandinavia.