Fresh water acidification is the price we are paying for excessive development and rapid industrialization. As more and more fossil fuels is burnt for some reason or the other, acidic pollution is increasingly resulting into acidification of fresh lake water and other ground water resources. Te phenomenon of acidification has been in existence for quite a few years now. In fact the and water acidification is also due to a number of natural and geological factors such as soil condition, stability of eco system in the region and so on, increasing air and water pollution attributable to man made reasons is making life difficult for conservationists and environment specialists.

Let us have a look at some of the factors responsible for freshwater acidification in greater detail. The chemical properties of soil near freshwater determine and affect to a great extent, the acidity in the surrounding geographical areas. Thus if the soil is alkaline in nature, the water flow in the region may fight acidification to a great extent. However if soil and rock structure is acidic in properties, water passing through the ground may lead to greater acidification of freshwater. Geological surveys have prove that waterfalls, lakes and other streams of freshwater contain as much as 90% of the water passing through ground and only less than 10% of water is sourced from rainfall. Hence the geological condition of the ground which is used to form the freshwater plays a significantly contributory role in leading up to freshwater acidification.

Freshwater acidification causes significant imbalances in the eco systems and causes some forms of living organisms to extinct from the area because of excessive acidification. Thus plants which are resistant to acidity and soft skin animals such as snails and leeches are adversely affected by acidification while organisms such as larvae, bloodworms have a field day. This is because these living beings have a propensity to grow and thrive in acidic condition. The natural habitat of freshwater is thus under threat as a result of increasing pollution and acidification.

Levels of sulphur dioxide in air, emissions from power stations and other forms of pollution is also causing freshwater acidification and acid rain to permeate the atmosphere. Release of chemical based fertilizers such as nitrogen based ones is one of the factors causing acidification. It is seen that as more and more industries are into operations and cause pollution and emission release into freshwater, the direct fall out is often greater levels of acidification.

Freshwater acidification phenomenon was first discovered during early seventies in Scandinavia and a lot of water has since flown under the bridge. The increasing air and water pollution is causing freshwater acidification all over the world. It is time to tackle the same for maintaining the fragile balance of ecosystem.