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Acidification. A presentation shown at the Comenius meeting in Uddevalla 2011-10-14. Lake in Svartedalen, south of Uddevalla, heavily affected by acidification .
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Acidification A presentation shown at the Comenius meeting in Uddevalla 2011-10-14
Lake in Svartedalen, southof Uddevalla, heavilyaffected by acidification.
Connection betweenlow pH- values and previouslyunexplainedfishdeathfound in 1967, by Ulf Lundin, whoworkedwith the FisheryDepartment in Uddevalla.
Map shows vulnerabilitytoacidification. The bedrock in Sweden and Norway has verylittleabilitytohandleacidrain.
Authorities in Scandinavia Blamed it on the Brits´ behaviour Tall chimney stacks to stop the smogs And distribute them in Scottish bogs There to fall in rain or snow Making lakes` pH too low. It all began in Southern Sweden In prior times an angler´s Eden Fish populations through acidity Succumbed with unforeseen rapidity. . Since air pollution blithely coasts Eastwards over frontier posts pH 4,5 On prevailing winds to roam Towards the ancient Vikings home Succeeded in their prime objective But led to heightened Scaninvective, Animation of pH-poem by Ian M. Torrens
The rock carvings in Tanum (on Unesco´s World Heritage List) areendangered.
Thingsaregettingbetter. There is considerably less sulphur (as in sulphuricacid, H2SO4) in ourrainwaternowadays. Less sulphur in petrol as well as new techology for cleaning emissions from factories etc. help. Swedish regions. Uddevalla is in Götaland
When it comes to Nitrogen (and nitric acid, HNO3) nothing much has happened during the last ten years. Catalythic converters in cars do help, but more cars means more emissions.
Thousandsof Swedish lakes areaffected. Someofthem get a twiceyearly ”treatment” withlimestone (CaCO3).
tThelimestonetreatment is verycostly. Thispicture shows a limestonemine on the islandof Gotland.