Studi Pendahuluan Cemaran SOx dan NOx di Kota Padang

Abstract

SOx and NOx pollution in air can be caused by internal and external factors. Internally, SOx and NOx pollution  is occurred as a effect of natural processes (Vulcano’s activity and degradation/fermentation process of waste materials). While externally,  SOx and NOx pollution comes from combustion process especially if fosil is used as fuel, it is like happened  in motorcycles and industries. Normally, internal SOx and NOx pollution is small and spread in the earth’s surface equally, so it can be neglected. While external SOx and NOx pollution depend on human activity. If a region has high human activities (high domestic activity, high transfortation activity, and high industrial activity), it has high SOx and NOx pollution tendency and contrary. Padang as a big city (high human activity) can be presumed as a polluted city, especially by SOx and NOx gasses. If SOx and NOx pollution react with water, acid spot will be formed. And if acid spot ground with rain, acid rain occurred. This research is aimed to verify the SOx and NOx pollution in Padang,  by measuring rain pH. The method used in this research is comparison method, where the rain pH at several regions in Padang compare to the rain pH in the standard region. The result of rain pH measurement of several regions are as follows : Standard region 5,51, Indarung 5,99, Cengkeh 5,86, Sawahan 5,63, S. Parman 5,63 and Palapa 5,34. Generally, all region have higher rain pH than the standard region except Palapa region. This research indicate that Padang city do not undergo SOx and NOx pollution yet.