Hawaii residents could face acid rain

HAWAII - After earthquakes and molten lava tore open the earth in Hawaii, residents of the Big Island have new threats to worry about: acid rain and volcanic smog.

The Kilauea eruption last week left cracks on the ground, releasing slowmoving lava and toxic gas into island communities. In addition to the lava and volcanic ash spewing out of the ground, officials have warned of dangerous levels of sulfur dioxide gas. With high chances of rain in the Big island on Thursday and Friday, the dangerous gas could lead to another menace known as acid rain, CNN Metereorolgist Michael Guy said.

Sulfur dioxide gas and other air pollutants emitted from Kilauea volcano react with oxygen, atmospheric moisture and sunlight to produce volcanic smog and acid rain, according to the US Geological Survey. Such droplets turn into sulfuric acid, and have the corrosive properties of diluted battery acid.

The amount of acid rain depends on the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the air, Guy said. “However, there is great uncertainty at this point how ... big a risk acid rain is at this time,” he said. “There will be greater certainty in the coming days” But he emphasized that while the effects of the acid rain on the skin are unclear, it’s been known to damage metal objects. “When atmospheric moisture is abundant, these droplets combine with it and fall as acid rain, damaging plants and accelerating the rusting of metal objects such as cars, industrial and farm equipment, and building components,” the USGS said.

(CNN)