Editing Acid rain (section)

===Human activity===
{{See also|Nitrogen cycle|Human impact on the nitrogen cycle|sulfur cycle}}[[File:Gavin Power Plant.jpg|thumb|The coal-fired [[Gavin Power Plant]] in [[Cheshire, Ohio]]]]
The principal cause of acid rain is sulfur and nitrogen compounds from human sources, such as [[electricity generation]], [[Environmental impact of meat production|animal agriculture]], factories, and [[motor vehicle]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=US EPA |first=OAR |date=February 9, 2016 |title=What is Acid Rain? |url=https://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what-acid-rain |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=epa.gov}}</ref> These also include power plants, which use electric power generators that account for a quarter of nitrogen oxides and two-thirds of sulfur dioxide within the atmosphere.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vallie |first=Sarah |date=November 11, 2022 |title=What to Know About Acid Rain Health Effects |url=https://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/what-to-know-about-acid-rain-health-effects |access-date=October 25, 2023 |website=WebMD}}</ref> Industrial acid rain is a substantial problem in China and Russia<ref>{{cite journal|pmid=17835740|year=1987|last1=Galloway|first1=JN|last2=Dianwu|first2=Z|last3=Jiling|first3=X|last4=Likens|first4=GE|title=Acid rain: China, United States, and a remote area|volume=236|issue=4808|pages=1559–62|doi=10.1126/science.236.4808.1559|journal=Science|bibcode=1987Sci...236.1559G|s2cid=39308177}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author =Chandru |url=http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpapers20%5Cpaper1944.html |title=CHINA: Industrialization pollutes its country side with Acid Rain |publisher=Southasiaanalysis.org |date=September 9, 2006 |access-date=November 18, 2010 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620200735/http://southasiaanalysis.org/papers20/paper1944.html |archive-date=June 20, 2010 }}</ref> and areas downwind from them. These areas all burn sulfur-containing [[coal]] to generate heat and electricity.<ref name=lefohndb>{{Citation |last1=Lefohn |first1=A.S. |last2=Husar |first2=J.D. |last3=Husar |first3=R.B. |year=1999 |title=Global Sulfur Emissions Database |publisher=A.S.L. & Associates |location=United States |url=http://www.asl-associates.com/sulfur1.htm |access-date=February 16, 2013 |archive-date=June 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606042420/http://www.asl-associates.com/sulfur1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The problem of acid rain has not only increased with population and industrial growth, but has become more widespread. The use of tall smokestacks to reduce local [[pollution]] has contributed to the spread of acid rain by releasing gases into regional atmospheric circulation; dispersal from these taller stacks causes pollutants to be carried farther, causing widespread ecological damage.<ref name="Likens, G. E. 1979">{{cite journal|author =Likens, G. E. |author2=Wright, R. F. |author3=Galloway, J. N. |author4=Butler, T. J. |year=1979|title= Acid rain|journal= Scientific American|volume= 241|issue=4|pages=43–51|doi=10.1038/scientificamerican1079-43|bibcode=1979SciAm.241d..43L}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author =Likens, G. E. |year=1984|title= Acid rain: the smokestack is the "smoking gun" |journal=Garden |volume=8|issue=4|pages=12–18}}</ref> Often deposition occurs a considerable distance downwind of the emissions, with mountainous regions tending to receive the greatest deposition (because of their higher rainfall). An example of this effect is the low pH of rain which falls in [[Scandinavia]]. Regarding low pH and pH imbalances in correlation to acid rain, low levels, or those under the pH value of 7, are considered acidic. Acid rain falls at a pH value of roughly 4, making it harmful to consume for humans. When these low pH levels fall in specific regions, they not only affect the environment but also human health. With acidic pH levels in humans comes hair loss, low urinary pH, severe mineral imbalances, constipation, and many cases of chronic disorders like Fibromyalgia and Basal Carcinoma.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rosborg |first1=Ingegerd |title=Scientific study on acid rain and subsequent pH-imbalances in humans, case studies, treatments |journal=European Journal of Clinical Nutrition |date=August 2020 |volume=74 |issue=S1 |pages=87–94 |id={{ProQuest|2439185222}} |doi=10.1038/s41430-020-0690-8 |pmid=32873963 |s2cid=221381536 }}</ref>