acid rain monitoring - plymouth state university
TRANSCRIPT
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Acid Rain Cycle
Source: Acid Rain Revisited, advances in scientific understanding since the passage of the 1970 and 1990 Clear Air Act amendments. Hubbard Brook Research Foundation. Science LinksTM Publication, Vol. 1, no. 1.
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Effects of Acid RainHarmful to fish
Reduces tree health
Alters soil
• Increase mercury concentration• Increase inorganic aluminum exposure• Fatal in high concentrations
• Red spruce & sugar maple• Growth decline
• Winter injury
• Leaches base cations (e.g. calcium)• Mobilizes inorganic aluminum• Sulfur and nitrogen accumulation
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…But now for some good news!• Clean Air Act (1970)
– Amended 1977 & 19901. Sets standards for SO2 & other pollutants and requires
implementation plans to ensure standards are met2. Directs EPA and States to establish air quality programs
which set enforceable emissions limits on large pollutant-emitting facilities
3. Authorizes EPA to set emission standards for motor vehicles and fuels
4. Set forth provisions to reduce acid rain• CAIR/CSAPR (2005)
– Cap and trade to reduce power plant SO2 and NOxemissions
• NH Air Toxics Control Program (1987)– Regulate hazardous air pollutant emissions
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In 2011, a scrubber aimed to reduce mercury emissions when online at
PSNH (Eversource) Merrimack Power Station
It is also effective at reducing SO2
emissions
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Trend in US Sulfur Dioxide Emissions
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Sulfur Dioxide Emissions in New Hampshire
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NHDES Acid Rain Monitoring ProgramsRooftop RainInitiated in 1972
pH, Sulfate, NitrateRemote Pond
Initiated in 1981Samples collected spring with NH Fish & GamepH, ANC, Specific conductance, Sulfate, Nitrate
Acid OutletInitiated in 1983
Samples collected spring & fall (associated with turnover)
pH, ANC, Specific conductance, Sulfate, Nitrate
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NHDES Acid Rain Monitoring Programs
Individual parameters of individual waterbodies
Non-parametric Mann-Kendall trend tests
Significance declared a p ≤ 0.05
Nitrate: Detection limit 0.05 mg/L. Non detectable results assigned values of 0.025 mg/L to conduct
trend analysis
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3.0
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pH (U
nits
)pH Trends in Rooftop Rain at DES
Average pH Median pHSignificant increase
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mg/
LSulfate Concentration of Rooftop Rain at DES
Mean MedianSignificant decrease
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Nitrate Concentration of Rooftop Rain at DES
Mean MedianSignificant decrease
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Are these precipitation trends reflected by our state waterbodies?
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REMOTE PONDpH & ANC Example
pH Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC)
pH (units) ANC (mg/L)
No significant trend
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REMOTE PONDSulfate & Nitrate Example
Sulfate (SO₄²¯) Nitrate(NO3-) Not detectable
NO3- (mg/L)SO₄²¯(mg/L)
Significant decrease
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umho
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REMOTE PONDSpecific Conductance Example
Specific Conductance
Significant decrease
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Remote Pond Trend Direction
IncreasingTrend
Stable
DecreasingTrend
pH ANCSpecific
conductance Sulfate Nitrate
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ph (u
nits
)ACID OUTLETpH Example
Fall Sampling Spring Sampling
No significant trend
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mg/
LACID OUTLETANC Example
Fall Sampling Spring Sampling
Significant increase
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mg/
LACID OUTLET
Sulfate Example
Fall Sampling Spring Sampling
Significant decrease
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0%
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IncreasingTrend
Stable
DecreasingTrend
Fall Spring
Acid Outlet Trend Direction
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SummaryRooftop rain
– pH increase– Sulfate & nitrate decrease
Remote pond– Majority of pH & ANC stable
– 100% decrease in sulfate & specific conductance– Majority decrease in nitrate
Acid outlet– Majority of pH & ANC increasing or stable
– Greater improvements in Fall– ≥80% decrease in sulfate & nitrate
– Specific conductance results scattered
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Take home messages
• Recovery is occurring but incomplete
• Sulfate concentration in waterbodies has drastically decreased, following reductions in sulfur dioxide emissions
• Long term datasets valuable for trend monitoring
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Thanks!
• Dave Neils• Walt Henderson• Scott Ashley• Dave Healy• Jeff Underhill
Questions?