[Title:]{.underline}

Influence of desulphurization of thermal power stations on pH of
precipitation

[Authors:]{.underline} Hana Smilková (15), Markéta Ambrožová (13)

Základní škola Brumov -- Bylnice

Czech republic

[Abstrakt:]{.underline}

When the electric energy is produced in thermal power stations
non-renewable resource of energy is used -- brown coal with a high
content of sulphur. During the incineration of coal sulphur acid and
carbon dioxide CO~2~ are released into the atmosphere. Sulphur dioxide
SO~2~ is oxidized in the atmosphere and on the surface of vegetation and
sulphure acid H~2~SO~4~ arises. The presence of this acid in rainfall
water lowers pH of precipitation. This leads to the rise of "acid rain".

The influence of acid rains on:

-agriculture and forests - the process of breathing and photosynthesis
is worsen, it causes slower

growth, smaller hectare crops, falling down of leaves and needles, bark
beetles

-water sources -- acid water causes dying out of fish, insect and water
plants

\- historical monuments and cultural sights -- eroding of plaster,
statues and sculptures, corrosion of

steel constructions /railway tracks, buildings\.../

- human population --insult of respiratory system /asthma, allergy, skin
diseases, emphysema of

lungs/, smog /psyche, the length of a human life/

[Hypothesis:]{.underline}

 Does desulphurization of thermal power stations influence the value of
pH precipitation?

We think that it does.

[Research metod:]{.underline}

The aim of this project is to verify the hypothesis, if the
desulphurization of thermal power stations influences the rising of
value of pH precipitation.

 To could verify this hypothesis, we needed to know the placement of
thermal power stations in the Czech republic (2), the amount of produced
sulphur dioxide during the incineration of brown coal before and after
their desulphurization(1), the year of desulphurization and mainly
measured data of pH of precipitation of single schools participating in
the project GLOBE in the Czech republic.

 In the database of every of 102 schools registrated in GLOBE we were
finding out the year since which they have measured and if they have
recorded pH of precipitation. We used data of 35 schools in total (3,
3.1). First the average of pH precipitation in every year was counted
(4) and then the whole year of all schools was averaged (5).

[Data summary: ]{.underline}

[1. The amount of produced SO~2~ in 1994 -- 2001 in the Czech
republic]{.underline}

The sources emitting pollutants into the atmosphere are nationwide
monitored within the framework of so called Register of emissions and
sources of pollution of the atmosphere /REZZO/

REZZO 1 -- great sources of pollution, thermal performance is higher
than 5 MW /power stations/

REZZO 2 -- middle sources of pollution, thermal performance from 0,2 to
5 MW

REZZO 3 -- small sources of pollution, thermal performance under 0,2 MW

 ![](media/image1.wmf)

[2. Placement of thermal power stations in the Czech
republic]{.underline}

 ![](media/image2.jpeg){width="6.2965277777777775in"
height="4.313888888888889in"}

[3.  Placement of schools whose data was used]{.underline}

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="6.285416666666666in"
height="4.001388888888889in"}

[3.1 List of the schools]{.underline}:

1.ZŠ Žďár nad Sázavou 19.ZŠ T.G. Masaryka, Lomnice nad Popelkou

2.ZŠ Most 20.ZŠ Vrané nad Vltavou

3.ZŠ-Ekolog. praktikum Jičín 21.ZŠ Horní Maršov

4.ČAG České Budějovice 22.ZŠ Vítkov

5.DDM na Vápenci+ZŠ Rejsková,Prostějov 23.ZŠ Telč

6.DDM-Středisko ekologické, Valašské Meziříčí 24.ZŠ Havlíčkův Brod

7.Rozšířená výuka jazyků, Zlín 25.ZŠ Pomezí

8.Gymnázium Česká Třebová 26.ZŠ Buchlovice

9.Gynázium Liberec 27.ZŠ Trutnov

10.Gymnázium Dačice 28.ZŠ Bánov

11.Gymnázium Dr. A. Hrdličky, Humpolec 29.ZŠ Horáčkova, Praha 4

12.Gymnázium Líšeň s.r.o, Brno 30.ZŠ Habrmanova, Česká Třebová

13.Gymnázium Voděradská, Praha 10 31.ZŠ Brumov - Bylnice

14.Masarykova stř. škola chemická, Praha 32.ZŠ Lysice

15.SPŠ Textilní, Dvůr Králové 33.ZŠ Mohelnice

16.Stř. zeměděl. ekol. škola, Humpolec 34.ZŠ Smržovka

17.ZŠ Borovského, Karviná 35.ZŠ Velké Opatovice

18.ZŠ Velký Beranov

4\.  Values of pH precipitation which were found out

 

  ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
         1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10     11     12     13     14

  1995                 4.50                                                                         

  1996                 4.37                                                                         

  1997                 4.70                                                    6.86                 

  1998                 4.60          5.80   4.63          5.25   5.24          7.14          5.56   

  1999                 4.57          5.41   5.04   7.31   5.46   5.00   6.68   6.64   6.13   7.80   7.04

  2000          6.40   4.47   4.96   5.30   6.02   7.94   5.33   5.54   6.11   6.57   6.91   7.24   7.83

  2001   5.58   5.69   4.93   4.84   5.14   4.94          5.35          5.85   6.73          6.75   6.69

  2002          5.72   4.50   4.34   5.00                 5.37          5.97   6.66          6.92   6.94
  ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------

  ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
         15     16     17     18     19     20     21     22     23     24     25     26     27     28

  1995                                                                                              

  1996                                                                         5.07                 

  1997                                                                         5.30                 

  1998   6.09                                             6.00   5.42          5.32   5.67          5.29

  1999   5.56                 5.84                 4.82   4.86   6.31          5.45   5.31          5.05

  2000   5.32   6.59   5.40          4.85                 5.69   5.67   5.98   5.71          6.53   4.69

  2001   5.11          5.18          4.69   5.18          5.73   5.28          4.95          6.57   5.04

  2002                 5.91                 5.16          5.79                 6.16          5.82   5.15
  ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------

  --------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------
            29       30       31       32       33       34       35

  1995                                                            

  1996                                                            

  1997      5.17     4.84                                         

  1998      4.83     5.05                       5.71              

  1999               5.24                       5.41     5.36     5.50

  2000               5.31              5.14     5.76              4.70

  2001               5.58              5.23     5.74              5.15

  2002               5.12     6.83              6.01              5.42
  --------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- --------

5\. Average pH

  ---------------------------------- ------------------------------------
  1995                               **4.500**

  1996                               **4.719**

  1997                               **5.373**

  1998                               **5.474**

  1999                               **5.731**

  2000                               **5.851**

  2001                               **5.496**

  2002                               **5.726**
  ---------------------------------- ------------------------------------

 Analysis of data:

 When we use the data, it is necessary to take account of a certain
divergence, because in the beginning of GLOBE pH papers were used for
measuring of pH precipitation and their resolution is 0,5 pH. Only in
last years more accurate pH meter has been used. In spite of it, we can
find out from the results that after the desulphurization of the most of
thermal power stations, pH precipitations rose and pH of rainfalls was
higher in 1997 than in 1996 /the difference was 0,5/. In another years
there is a slow rising of the average of pH. The exception is the year
2001, because the value returned to the year 1998. This fact could be
probably caused by longer and more freezing winter.

 This data results in the fact that thermal power stations greatly
influence the pollution of the atmosphere. Of course we have to take
into consideration also smaller local sources of pollution -- heating
plants, stokeholds, factories etc.

 The highest amount of SO~2~ was produced in the area of the North
Bohemia, Mělník and Ostrava.

 We could solve it by cancelling of thermal power stations and by using
water, solar, wind or nuclear power stations. Regrattably unemployment
would rise in these local areas and in the branches which are dependent
on them.

 The hypothesis about the positive influence of desulphurization of
thermal power stations on the rising of pH or precipitation was
confirmed.

Literature and the sources of data:

The Globe Data Archive

[www.chmi.cz](http://www.chmi.cz/)

[www.cez.cz](http://www.cez.cz/)

[www.zoner.cz](http://www.zoner.cz/)