EFFECT OF ACIDIC RAIN ON PHYSICAL LIGHT ABSORBANCE AND STRENGTH OF COLOURED GLASS

Abstract

In this present research, the effect of acidic rain on coloured glass was investigated. The glass samples were cut into 10cm x 10cm, cleaned and immersed into prepared solutions of sulphuric and nitric acid of PH 2.0, 4.0 and 7.0 for nine weeks. The light absorbance of these samples was determined every week alongside its flexural strength using standard methods. Results obtained show that the absorbance values decreases with increase in number of weeks for which the samples were immersed in the solution. The absorbance value was nearly the same for the first week before a sudden decrease was observed after week two, with the remaining absorbance values being inconsistence till the ninth week for samples immersed in HNO₃ solution. While samples immersed in H₂SO₄ solution has a percentage decrease in the absorbance value for week 2 as 53.7%, 33.3% and 31.1% for 470nm, 480nm, and 490nm respectively, after which the rest values were inconsistence. The flexural strength values also decrease with increase in immersion time with percentage decrease in flexural strength value of 0.94%, 1.56% and 1.88% for samples immersed in HNO₃ of PH 2, 4 and 7 over nine weeks while overall decrease in flexural strength values of 1.56%, 1.63% and 2.55% were obtained for samples immersed in H₂SO₄ solution of PH 2, 4, and 7 respectively over nine weeks.