Understand acid deposition’s causes and effects

To understand acid deposition's causes and effects, and to track changes in the environment, scientists from EPA, state governments, and academia study acidification processes. They collect air and water samples and measure them for various characteristics such as pH and chemical composition, and research the effects of acid deposition on human-made materials such as marble and bronze. Finally, scientists work to understand the effects of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)—the pollutants that cause acid deposition and contribute to particulate matter —on human health. See the acid rain effects section for more information. To solve the acid rain problem, people need to understand how acid rain damages the environment. They also need to understand what changes could be made to the air pollution sources that cause the problem. The answers to these questions help leaders make better decisions about how to control air pollution and therefore, how to reduce—or even eliminate—acid rain. Because there are many solutions to the acid rain problem, leaders have a choice of which options or combination of options are best. The next section describes some of the steps that can be taken to tackle the acid deposition problem.