Elizabeth Fracchia

Advisor:  Dr. Brad Baldwin

SLU Festival of Science 2001 Poster Presentation

Acid Rain Technology and the Adirondacks Elizabeth Fracchia

Acid rain is one of the primary sources of pollution affecting the forests and waters of the Adirondack Mountains.  It is produced when sulfur and nitrogen pollution mixes with moisture in the air and forms sulfuric and nitric acid.  This pollution then falls to the earth as precipitation and causes countless environmental problems. Modern day technology and government involvement can be combined to create reasonable solutions for the prevention and correction of damage caused by acid rain.

The two main producers of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions are automobiles and power plants.  Several technologies have been developed to reduce and/or prevent the emission of pollutants.  These technologies are under constant research and development in order to make them more feasible and attractive options to energy-producing and automobile industries.

Automobiles have been equipped with three-way catalytic converters which control the amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides that enter the air.  These converters perform a three-step process in which the nitrogen oxides and unburned hydrocarbons are reduced and the level of oxygen in the exhaust is monitored

Power plants have two separate ways of decreasing nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide emissions.Nitrogen oxides go through a process of combustion which begins with filtering air into an upper furnace or combustion chamber.Combustion is forced to occur with less oxygen than required which slows down the transformation from nitrogen to nitrogen oxides.Ammonia gas then enters the chamber and begins a series of catalytic reductions to react with the nitrogen oxides to form safe nitrogen.

Sulfur dioxide emissions are controlled using a three-step process that begins with coal cleaning using gravitational collectors.Secondly, the coal participates in fluidized bed combustion, which uses limestone or sandstone to react with sulfur dioxide to decrease emissions by 90%.Lastly, the coal is is “scrubbed” in a process known as “Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization.”Limestone or sodium hydroxide is injected into fuel to react with sulfur dioxide, which results in a gypsum slurry that can be used in other factory processes.

Although many acid rain technologies have been successful, the quest for more solutions continues to be a major goal in scientific research.Current development involves technology such as: electrostatic precipitators, special burners, cyclone separators and scrubbers. 

The implementation of acid rain technology and government regulations combined with changes in each of our personal lifestyles will hopefully aid in the restoration of the Adirondack Park and other areas severely affected by acid rain.