Marble Statues Attacked By Acid Rain

Acid rain acid rain effects on human made structures.

Marble statues attacked by acid rain.

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. In exposed areas of buildings and statues we see roughened surfaces removal of material and loss of carved details. Marble does not bear handling well as it will absorb skin oils when touched which leads to yellow brownish staining. Sulfur dioxide an acid rain precursor can react directly with limestone in the presence of water to form gypsum which eventually.

Old statues monuments and tombstones are vulnerable to acid rain because they were made of limestone. When sulfurous sulfuric and nitric acids in polluted air and rain react with the calcite in marble and limestone the calcite dissolves. When sulfurous sulfuric and nitric acids in polluted air react with the calcite in marble and limestone the calcite dissolves. Over decades of exposure to acid rain the details of a statue can be lost slowly turning them into featureless blobs.

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. How does acid precipitation affect marble and limestone buildings. Acid deposition also affects human made structures. Acid precipitation affects stone primarily in two ways.

Stone surface material may be lost all over or only in spots that are more reactive. The most notable effects occur on marble and limestone which are common building materials found in many historic structures monuments and gravestones.