I feel like even if I went to go get an objective source there would some kind of corporatocracy/government/AI/revolving door cover up on the quality of rainwater today if I tried through like google. I don’t know, I just feel things are so bad environmentally even the wilderness is being doused with acid rain and only acid rain whenever it does get rain. Can anyone shed some light on this? I might be wrong and it may be panicky emotional reasoning, but this is where I’m at for what it’s worth.
This is something easily testable. You can buy a cheap yet accurate pH tester online. The next time it rains, pull a sample and test the pH. If it’s less than 7, then it’s acidic. The lower the pH, the stronger the acid. The thing is, even purified water is listed in the USP (United States Pharmecopia) has having an allowable pH range of 5 - 8. Reason being that typically any acidity or basicity present is going to be easily neutralized with exposure to air.
Not saying this is a solved problem, but it ain’t what you think. Drag the slider on the first map.
https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/acid-rain-program-results
In any case, no need to guess or Google. Check for yourself. Sounds like $6 would be well worth it for your piece of mind.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0811PYS6T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(Bought these myself BTW.)
I work in the water testing industry, these test strips are so badly off that they’re practically useless for anything other than a ballpark measurement. Litmus paper will really only tell you if it’s less than 7. There are digital pH meters on amazon for about the same price that are much more accurate. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M5IASHD/ref=twister_B0CT8QKCVB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 Is one i’ve used for a similar purpose as the poster.
Where are you located? China? Then perhaps all of that is true. Europe? Panicky and emotional.
Central valley California. Mass industrial agriculture central.
The main cause of acid rain is/was sulfur in diesel fuel and coal. When burned and then mixed with water in the air, you get sulfuric acid.
Ultra-low sulfur diesel and flue gas desulfurization (scrubbers) have more-or-less eliminated actual acid rain as a serious issue in the western world.
Like the ozone layer issues, lead paint, and leaded fuel, this was a relatively easy problem to deal with, and could for the most part be corrected by moderate tech changes/substitution and better handling, though China is backsliding on CFCs.
Greenhouse gases and plastics are much harder to deal with because the issues are fundamental to the actual purpose the product serves.
The main cause of acid rain is/was sulfur in diesel fuel and coal. When burned and then mixed with water in the air, you get sulfuric acid.
Ultra-low sulfur diesel and flue gas desulfurization (scrubbers) have more-or-less eliminated actual acid rain as a serious issue in the western world.
Like the ozone layer issues, lead paint, and leaded fuel, this was a relatively easy problem to deal with, and could for the most part be corrected by moderate tech changes/substitution and better handling, though China is backsliding on CFCs.
Greenhouse gases and plastics are much harder to deal with because the issues are fundamental to the actual purpose the product serves.
Just checked IQAir map, Romania has worse microdust pollution than China right now. Germany and Spain aren’t far behind.
(Not 1:1 related to acid rain, but a bit of data to help align your thoughts)
I grew up in Central New York in the 90s. You’d know pretty fast if all the rain was acid rain. It was wreaking havoc on car paint.
