Acid Rain : Report Number 14 : papers presented at the fifteenth Consultative Council Meeting of the Watt Committee on Energy, London, 1 December 1983

This E. & F. N. Spon title is now distributed by Routledge in the US and Canada This title available in eBook format. Click here for more information. Visit our eBookstore at: www.ebookstore.tandf.co.uk. Book Cover......Page 1 Copyright......Page 2 Title......Page 3 Contents......Page 4 Foreword......Page 7 Introduction......Page 9 Section 1 The fate of airborne pollution......Page 12 1.1 Introduction......Page 13 1.2 Emissions......Page 16 1.3 Transformations......Page 18 1.5 Deposition......Page 21 1.6 Loss processes to above the boundary layer......Page 23 1.7.1 European atmospheric chemistry network (EACN)......Page 24 1.7.4 American/Canadian programmes......Page 25 1.8 Trends in Acid Precipitation......Page 26 1.9 Modelling......Page 27 1.9.3 Complex models......Page 28 1.10 Episodes......Page 29 1.11.2 Sources of western Britain’s acid rain......Page 30 1.11.3 Effect of single sources on total-deposition field......Page 31 1.11.5 Relationship of depositions to emissions......Page 32 1.12 Recommendations......Page 33 Section 2 Vegetation and soils......Page 35 2.1 Historical Aspects......Page 36 2.2 Effects of Ambient Air Pollution on Metabolism and Growth of Plants......Page 40 2.2.1 Effects of urban pollution on plant growth......Page 41 2.2.2 Morphological changes in polluted plants......Page 43 2.2.3 Importance of ozone......Page 45 2.2.4 Acid precipitation and plant growth......Page 47 2.3.1 Relevant concepts......Page 48 2.3.2 Impact of acid precipitation......Page 51 2.4 The 'Ulrich Hypothesis' on Effect of Acid Deposition on Forest Ecosystems......Page 53 2.4.1 Conclusions......Page 55 2.5 Lichens as Indicators of Atmospheric Sulphur Pollution......Page 56 2.6 Central European Forest Die-back and its Relevance to Britain......Page 58 References......Page 59 Section 3 Freshwater......Page 62 3.1.2 Acidification mechanisms......Page 63 3.2.3 Fishery records......Page 64 3.3.2 Zooplankton......Page 65 3.4 Evidence for Acidification outside U.K.......Page 66 3.5.1 Chemical records......Page 68 3.5.2 Sediment records......Page 69 3.6 Extent and Distribution of Acid Waters in Great Britain......Page 70 3.6.2 Wales......Page 71 3.6.3 England......Page 72 3.6.4 Results of survey......Page 73 3.7 Conclusions......Page 74 Select References......Page 75 Section 4 Remedial Strategies......Page 76 4.1.1 Components of a strategy......Page 77 Flue-gas desulphurisation......Page 79 Pressurised fluidised-bed combustion......Page 80 Coal washing......Page 81 4.1.3 Industrial energy use......Page 83 4.2 Impact of SO2 control on electricity prices......Page 84 4.2.2 Estimated increase in tariffs......Page 85 4.2.3 Sensitivity to changing assumptions......Page 86 4.3.1 United Kingdom legislation......Page 87 4.3.2 European Community legislation......Page 88 4.3.4 Legislation elsewhere......Page 89 4.4.1 The relationship between emissions and deposition......Page 90 4.4.2 Relationship between deposition and damage......Page 92 4.4.3 Relationship between benefits and costs......Page 93 Bibliography......Page 94 Appendix 1 Fifteenth Consultative Council Meeting of the Watt Committee on Energy......Page 96 Appendix 2 Abbreviations Used in this Report......Page 97 Member Institutions......Page 99 THE WATT COMMITTEE ON ENERGY......Page 101 What is loosely described as 'acid rain' is not a new phenomenon. The burning of coal and other fossil fuelsmust have always resulted in the production of sulphur dioxide, and, where the combustion temperatures arehigh, of oxides of nitrogen. These may be present in various stages of oxidation and are often referred to assimply SOx and NOx. The Clean Air Act 1956 with its limitations on the burning of raw coal in urban areashas virtually eliminated 'smog' in British cities but has not directly reduced the SOx emissions.It is only during the last decade or so that Acid Rain has become a topic o This book contains papers, presented at the Fifteenth Consultative Council meeting of the Watt Committee on Energy, London, in 1983, on various topics related to acid rain, including fate of airborne pollution, vegetation and soils, freshwater, and remedial strategies. Gaseous and participate pollution injected into the atmosphere can be subjected to many physical and chemical processes.