What are the effects of pollution on historical monuments?

Answer 1

The main effect is the stone decay, which cam be divided into specific types of degradations:

- black crust ( the black layer on the surface of the stone) that can cause chemical reactions that lead to the stone defragmantaion

- salt efflorescences that can also induce a certain strength inside the stone, causing the stone to defragment.......... an so on... You can find a lot more informations in some related papers on the World Wide Web.

Answer 2

Acid Rain

• One of the more destructive forms of pollution is acid rain. Acid rain occurs when fossil fuel emissions containing sulfur dioxide combine with moisture in the air to form acidic precipitation. When acid rain falls on historical monuments of limestone or marble, a chemical reaction takes place which has a corrosive effect on these structures. The reaction dissolves the material, leading to permanent damage.

Global Warming

• According to the National Climatic Data Center, global temperatures have risen during the past century at a rate of 0.11 degrees Fahrenheit per decade. The concern with historical monuments lies in the temperature impacts on the chemistry. Heat acts as a catalyst, speeding the rate of chemical reactions. The fate of historical monuments becomes more uncertain, and the urgency to take action increases. Global warming occurs when greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide trap radiant heat at the earth's surface, which causes temperatures to rise.

Contributing Factors

• Other factors contribute to the rate of damage to historical monuments. An increase in humidity provides the necessary environment for corrosive chemical reactions in the absence of rain. Likewise, changes in sun radiation can temporarily raise temperatures on the surface of monuments, mimicking the effects of global warming on a specific site.

Answer 3

Air pollution affects many monuments by turning them black or gray with soot/carbon. Smog and acid rain also harm marble, making it susceptible to crumbling.

Answer 4

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