ACID RAIN AND IT"S EFFECTS...

Acidity is measured using a pH scale, with the number 7 being neutral.

Consequently, a substance with a pH value of less than 7 is acidic,

while one of a value greater than 7 is basic. It is also worthwhile to note that the pH scale is logarithmic; that is, a substance of pH of 6 is

10 times more acidic than another with a pH of 7. Generally, the pH of 5.6 has been used as the Acidity is measured using a pH scale, with the number 7 being neutral.

WHAT CAUSES ACID RAIN?

One of the main causes of acid rain is sulphur dioxide. Natural sources which emit this gas are volcanoes, sea spray , rotting vegetation

and plankton. However, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are largely to be blamed for approximately half of the emissions

of this gas in the world. When sulphur dioxide reaches the atmosphere, it oxidizes to first form a sulphate ion. It then becomes sulphuric

acid as it joins with hydrogen atoms in the air and falls back down to earth. Oxidation occurs the most in clouds and especially in heavily

polluted air where other compounds such as ammonia and ozone help to catalyze the reaction, converting more sulphur dioxide to

sulphuric acid. However, not all of the sulphur dioxide is converted to sulphuric acid. In fact, a substantial amount can float up into the

atmosphere, move over to another area and return to earth unconverted. The following are the stoichiometric equations for the formation

of sulphuric acid:

S (in coal) + O2 yields SO2

2 SO2 + O2 yields 2 SO3

SO3 + H2O yields H2SO4

Nitric oxide and nitric dioxide are also components of acid rain. Its sources are mainly from power stations and exhaust fumes. Like

sulphur dioxide, these nitrogen oxides rise into the atmosphere and are oxidized in clouds to form nitric acid. These reactions are also

catalysed in heavily polluted clouds where iron, manganese, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide are present.*

The following is a chart which summarizes the effect of the pH level of the lake on its lifeforms.

pH LEVEL EFFECTS

<6 *Basic forms of food die off. Eg. Mayflies and stoneflies are important food sources for fish. They can't survive at this pH level.

<5.5 *Fish cannot reproduce.

*Young have difficulty staying alive.

*More deformed adult fish due to lack of  nutrients.

*Fish die of suffocation.

<5.0 *Fish population die off.

<4.0 *Very different lifeforms, if any, from before.

The "safe" level of mercury in food has been set at about 0.05 parts per million. Indians and Eskimos in parts of Canada and the United States eat fish and seal meat with mercury levels as high as 15.7 and even 32.7 parts per million.

Fish, being one of the primary members of the food chain, is food for many other lifefoms, including hunans. Because toxic materials such as mercury are deposited in the fish due to acid rain, it is dangerous for humans to consume the fish. Like the domino effect, fewer fish can be sold as food, fishermen lose their hobby and people selling fishing supplies are affected. Amphibians are also affected; like the fish, they cannot reproduce in an acidic environment.

Hence,the effects of acid rain on lakes and its aquatic ecosystem are numerous and overwhelmingly magnified as we move down the food web.

EFFECT ON TREES AND SOILS

One of the most serious impacts of acid precipitation is on forests and soils. Great damage is done when sulphuric acid falls onto the earth as rain. Nutrients present in the soils are washed away. Aluminium also present in the soil is freed and this toxic element can be absorbed by the roots of trees. Thus, the trees are starved to death as they are deprived of their vital nutrients such as calcium and magnesium. Not all of the sulphur dioxide is converted to sulphuric acid. In fact, a substantial amount can float into the atmosphere, move over to another area and return to the soils unconverted. As this gas returns back to earth, it clogs up the stomata in the leaves, thus hindering photosynthesis. Research has been made where red spruce seedlings were sprayed with different combinations of sulphuric and nitric acid of pH ranging from 2.5 to 4.5. The needles of these seedlings were observed to develop brown lesions. Eventually, the needles fall off. It was also found that new needles grew more slowly at higher concentrations of acid used. Because the rate at which the needles were falling was greater than the rate at which they were replenished, photosynthesis was greatly affected, The actual way in which these needles were killed is still not yet known. However, studies have shown that calcium and magnesium nutrients are washed away from their binding sites when sulphuric acid enters the system. They are replaced by useless hydrogen atoms and this inhibits photosynthesis.

EFFECT ON MATERIALS

Acid rain also damages materials such as fabrics. For example, flags that are put up are being "eaten away" by the acidic chemicals in the precipitation. Books and age-old art that are centuries old are also being affected; the ventilation systems of the libraries and musuems that hold them do not prevent the acidic particles from entering the builings and so, they get in and circulate within the building, affecting and deteriorating the materials.

EFFECT ON HUMANS

Among one of the serious side effects of acid pollution on humans is respiratory problems. The SO2 and NO2 emmisions give rise to respiratory problems such as asthma, dry coughs, headaches, eye, nose and throat irritations. An indirect effect of acid precipitation on humans is that the toxic metals dissolved in the water are absorbed in fruits, vegetables and in the tissues of animals. Although these toxic metals do not directly affect the animals, they have serious effects on humans when they are being consumed. For example, mercury that accumulate in the organs and tissues of the animals has been linked with brain damage in children as well as nerve disorders, brain damage and death. Similarly, another metal, Aluminium, present in the organs of the animals, has been associated with kidney problems and recently, was suspected to be related to Alzheimer's disease.

EFFECT ON THE ATMOSPHERE

Some of the constituents of acid pollution are sulphates, nitrates, hydrocarbons and ozone. These exists as dry particles in the air and contribute to haze, affecting visibility. This makes navigation especially hard for air pilots. Acid haze also interferes with the flow of sunlight from the sun to the earth and back. In the Arctic, this affects the growth of lichens which in turn, affect the caribou and reindeer which feed on it.

LAGOS TODAY! HOW TO COPE WITH HARSH AND DUSTY WEATHER...

For residents of Zamfara State and in fact the North West geo-political zone of the country, the past few weeks have brought about some of the most difficult weather conditions seen in recent years. The dry season, known in this part of the world as Harmattan, has been in its worst form in living memory, bringing socio-economic activities to a halt. Imam Imam writes

Harmattan is a dry and dusty West African trade wind that blows south from Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the middle of March, a period of winter in other parts of the world. On its passage over the desert, it picks up dust particles (between 0.5 and 10 micrometres).

Now, Lagos residents are facing this harsh weather in recent times. The sun is usually too hot and it comes with dry wind which leaves you with an itchy and burning effect.

For all Lagosian, never leave your home without taking along enough water for your consumption to avoid dehydration. Dress well. Always put on light colours which would diverge the sun rays as it's directed to you and keep the heat from penetrating. Again, put on clothes dark would cover your skin properly so as to prevent your skin from burning. 

Please, shield your eyes from dusty particles flying in the air with sunglassses and your hair too. Oil your hair to avoid breakage and together we'll scale through this dusty and harsh season. 

TALKING ABOUT EARTHQUAKES...

It seemed like Mother Nature was avenging herself on us who have used all her endowments to the fullest extent without caring to rejuvenate them. Here we would try to find out the causes of earthquakes so that we can all contribute to the prevention of such things in our own small ways. Individual awareness would definitely lead to mass awareness.

                              Causes of earthquakes

If seen broadly we can say that earthquakes are caused due to two major reasons. The first reason is the eruption of volcanoes, which are sudden, and as is known volcanoes are seat of inner disturbance and can effect the plates which is the second cause of earthquakes. Earthquakes are caused due to disturbance in the movement of plates, which again can be caused due to various reasons like under crust waves or cracks in the plates.

                          Plate Tectonic Theory

The outer layer of the earth is divided into many sections known as plates, which are floating on the molten magma beneath the earth’s crust. Now the movement of these plates is determined by the convection current in the molten magma. The heat makes these plates rise and vice versa. Therefore after intervals there are plates that get submerged in the molten magma and there plates that rise upwards and at times even new crust is formed from the molten magma which in turn forms a new plate until it connects itself with the already existing ones. At times these plates and can be pushed up to form mountains and hills and the movement is so slow that it is really hard to comprehend that there is any movement at all. The movement and the results come out to be visible suddenly. Now these plates are the bases on which the continents stand and when these plates move the continents also move. Most of the earthquakes occur on the edges of the plates where a plate is under one or across. This movement disrupts the balance and position of all plates, which leads to tremors, which are called earthquakes.

                                      Volcanic Eruptions

When volcanoes erupt it is because the molten magma under the crust of the earth is under enormous pressure and to release that pressure it looks for an opening and exerts pressure on the earth’s crust and the plate in turn. A place, which is the seat of an active volcano, is often prone to earthquakes as well because the pressure that is exerted by the magma exceeds the limit these plates move and that causes earthquakes. Earthquakes are also caused after a volcanic eruption since the eruption also leads to a disturbance in the position of plates, which either move further or resettle and can result into severe or light tremors.

The excessive exploitation of earth’s resources for our own benefits like building dams to store large volumes of water and blasting rocks and mountains to build bridges and roads is also the reason behind such natural disruptions.

HOW DEFORESTATION INCREASES GLOBAL WARMING.

When trees are burned or cut down the CO2they had stored escapes back into the air which means the less forests, the fewer plants to convert CO2 into oxygen. Trees cut down for building do not contribute this CO2 and the process continues if those trees cut down are replanted. This, in this case it helps the issue of global warming.

Global warming is caused by an elevation in the green house gases that halo our planet. Atmospheric gases such as water vapor, CO2, methane, and ozone are responsible for impeding the loss of heat away from the Earth. The concentration of these particular gases, directly dictate the universal temperature found on Earth. Thus the effect of global warming is further exacerbated by deforestation because the removal of densely forested areas decreases the number of the CO2 consuming vegetation.

Photosynthetic organisms, such as plants, undergo a "carbon fixing" cycle which utilizes atmospheric carbon dioxide and synthesizes it into metabolic intermediates (such as carbohydrates). Indirectly, deforestation disrupts the delicate balance between the carbon dioxide produced and consumed. An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide, along with other green house gases, leads to an increase in the global temperature.

Two interesting things to point out on this issue:

Man produces a small portion of CO2 (about 6% of the total and 0.28% of all green house gas). The number, density and overall acres of forest have increased for the past century in North America by thousands of acres. We even define a forest more densely today than we did in historical times. We have doubled the board feet in a given acre to be called a forest.

Destroying forests reduces the earth's ability to absorb airborne carbon. Trees as well as water, ice etc absorb carbon that is in the air. The fewer trees there are, the less there are to absorb carbon. This would lead to more carbon in the air from man-made and natural sources. More and more is released all the time and less is reabsorbed into "contained" sources such as trees and water. If we stop deforestation by 50%, it will stop 500 billion tons of CO2 going to the atmosphere!!!

STOPING GLOBAL WARMING STARTS WITH INCREASED EFFICIENCY

Increasing the efficiency of cars and minivans, power plants and even light bulbs will not only help curb global warming, it will help cut air pollution, protect our wilderness and coasts from drilling and stimulate economic growth.

Burning fossil fuels not only emits carbon dioxide, the primary global warming culprit, but also soot, smog and carbon monoxide. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels cuts pollution and reduces the demand to drill in sensitive wilderness areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It reduces the amount of oil we transport, lessening the chances of spills. Consumers benefit because efficiency costs less than the energy it saves. Finally, it helps our economy by cutting oil imports, which account for one-third of our national trade deficit.

One of the easiest ways for individual consumers and small businesses to save energy and money is to use compact fluorescent lights. Replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb with a 15-watt compact fluorescent bulb that emits as much light saves over 400 pounds of coal. The compact fluorescent bulb costs about $15, but lasts 10,000 hours and pays for itself in two to six years, depending on how often the bulb is used.

Unfortunately, the energy market isn't working. Businesses often make decisions based on short-term paybacks, ignoring the long-term savings from energy efficiency investments. Buildings are seldom built by the people who will pay the energy bills, so construction cost takes precedence over long-term operating costs. Similarly, consumers aren't looking at pollution reduction and long-term savings when they buy a car. They tend to be more concerned about styling and comfort than fuel efficiency.

That's why energy activists must work to influence public policy and to educate consumers. Consumers can't buy energy-efficient appliances if stores don't stock them, but stores won't stock them if they think people will balk at higher upfront costs for greater efficiency. It's up to the federal government to intervene and require a minimum level of efficiency for all consumer products from appliances to cars. In cleaning our air we are reducing threats to our wilderness and shores.

THE EFFECT OF GLOBAL WARMING ON WILDLIFE

Today, everyone is talking about Global Warming, what exactly is Global Warming?
Global Warming is defined as the increase of the average temperature on Earth. As the Earth is getting hotter, disasters like hurricanes, droughts and floods are getting more frequent. Here is some of its effect on wildlife

Polar Bears
Polar bears, like their privileged springtime prey the ringed seal, depend heavily on sea ice for their survival. Polar bears move from ice flow to ice flow in search of the young seals. With rising temperatures, the thinning ice leaves

fewer places for both the polar bears to hunt and the seals to raise their young.

Arctic Foxes
The arctic fox is a phenomenon. Its paws are covered with thick fur to protect its feet in winter, and it is an excellent burrower which allows it to dig dens and warm itself against the arctic chill. In recent years, warmer temperatures have driven the arctic fox farther and farther north in search of more suitable, cooler habitat.

Adelie Penguins
When we think of Antarctica, it is with visions of waddling, tuxedoed penguins. Today, however, these iconic creatures may be in peril as a result of changes to their climate. Rising temperatures are causing the amount of sea ice to diminish, which in turn causes the amount of algae in the water to decrease. Many tiny organisms, including the krill shrimp which forms the foundation of the Adelie penguin’s diet, cannot survive without this important food source.
So what can we do to reverse this situation? Is this precious wildlife going on extinction too?

WHY 3 SPECIES GO EXTINCT EVERY HOUR

This is not somthing new but simply a reiteration or reminder that something needs to be done about climate change. This ultimately means one thing, that the Earth's biodiversity is getting smaller and smaller. Three species, be it animal or plant, go extinct EVERY HOUR! This situation is not okay. There are many things that each of us can do and spreading information on what to do can help. Ultimately, however, it is up to individuals to change some aspect of their daily lives in consideration for the environment.

Quote:
"We are indeed experiencing the greatest wave of extinctions since the disappearance of the dinosaurs," said Ahmed Djoghlaf, head of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The main human cause being the burning of fossil fuels has mainly contributed to habitat loss and the amount of species that existed in those habitats. Ultimately the threat of climate change may dry out forests, the ice caps melting, or desertification (a process of land degradation that China and other countries are experiencing now).

"Extinction rates are rising by a factor of up to 1,000 above natural rates. Every hour, three species disappear. Every day, up to 150 species are lost. Every year, between 18,000 and 55,000 species become extinct," he said. "The cause: human activities."
We cant let these polar bears or any other species become another statistic. Lets try and change by being more eco-minded.