ABSTRACT
Air pollution has occurred naturally since the formation of the Earth’s atmosphere; however, the industrial era has resulted in human activities greatly contributing to global atmospheric pollution. One of the more highly publicized and controversial aspects of atmospheric pollution is that of acidic deposition. Acidic materials can be transported long distances, some as much as hundreds of kilometers. Acidic deposition can impact buildings, sculptures, and monuments that are constructed using weatherable materials like limestone, marble, bronze, and galvanized steel. While acid soil conditions are known to influence the growth of plants, agricultural impacts related to acidic deposition are of less concern due to the buffering capacity of these types of ecosystems. When acidic substances are deposited in natural ecosystems, a number of adverse environmental effects are believed to occur, including damage to vegetation, particularly forests, and changes in soil and surface water chemistry
