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Article: The third lichen. (acid rain biological abatement )
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- October 26, 1991
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1991 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A TWIST of lime gives zest to a gimlet; adding its chemical namesake to a cocktail of pollutants may be less worthwhile. Lime - in the form of powdered limestone - is a commonly - used antidote to the effects of acid rain. As school children know, and art-buffs rue, a drop of acid on a block of limestone (or marble) makes an interesting fizz. When the fizzing stops, the limestone is damaged, find the acid has been neutralised.
The acid rain which attacks artistic heritage is also bad for plants and animals. Sweden, a country whose lakes and forests have suffered particularly badly, has fought back by making copious use of the reaction between lime and acid to ...