The interaction of H+, acids and acid-forming substances in ecosystems is called acid deposition. The following acids can be deposited transported, or accumulated in ecosystems (Ulrich, 1991):
In gas phase: SO2, NOx and H2S (negligible)
In solution phase: H3O+, CO2 · H2O, NH+4, cations forming weak hydroxides: Mn, Al, Fe, heavy metals, organic acids
In solid phase: sulfides, undissociated acidic groups on clay minerals and organic matter, exchangeable and fixed NH+4. Metal cations (bound ± exchangeable on acidic groups of minerals and organic matter), aluminum hydroxosulfates and sulfate adsorbed on aluminum hydroxides, organically bound N (Norg → HNO3, organically bound S (Sorg → H2SO4.
Acid deposition can occur as wet deposition (rain, fog, dew, snow, hail) or by dry deposition of gases and particles. While wet deposition is rapid and depends on precipitation, dry deposition is a slow but continuous process. Oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, products of fuel combustion, are dominant...
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Bibliography
Hendrey, G.R. (1985) Acid deposition: a national problem, in Acid Deposition, Environmental, Economic and Policy Issues (eds D.D. Adams, W.P. Page). New York: Plenum Press, pp. 1–15.
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Ulrich, B. (1991) Deposition of acids and metal compounds, in Metals and their Compounds in the Environment (ed. E. Merian), Weinheim: VCH, pp. 367–78.
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Mihaljevic, M. (1998). Acid deposition. In: Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4496-8_1
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