Marble Statues Attacked By Acid Rain

When sulfurous sulfuric and nitric acids in polluted air react with the calcite in marble and limestone the calcite dissolves.

Marble statues attacked by acid rain.

How does acid precipitation affect marble and limestone buildings. Marble does not bear handling well as it will absorb skin oils when touched which leads to yellow brownish staining. While more resistant than limestone it is subject to attack by weak acids and so performs poorly in outdoor environments subject to acid rain for severe environments granite is a more lasting material but one which is far more difficult to work and much less suitable for. Acid rain has also attacked the chiseled words on some tombstones rendering them unreadable.

Stone surface material may be lost all over or only in spots that are more reactive. Although many different types of stone have been used for sculpture the most vulnerable to potential acid rain damage are marble and limestone steiger 2015 the former is essentially a recrystallized form of the latter. The most notable effects occur on marble and limestone which are common building materials found in many historic structures monuments and gravestones. Over decades of exposure to acid rain the details of a statue can be lost slowly turning them into featureless blobs.

In exposed areas of buildings and statues we see roughened surfaces removal of material and loss of carved details. Both are composed of calcite caco 3 other types of stone which are composed of silicate minerals such as granite or sandstone are intrinsically more resistant to acid attack. Acid precipitation affects stone primarily in two ways. Sulfur dioxide an acid rain precursor can react directly with limestone in the presence of water to form gypsum which eventually.

When sulfurous sulfuric and nitric acids in polluted air and rain react with the calcite in marble and limestone the calcite dissolves. Acid rain acid rain effects on human made structures.