Classroom Illustrations of Acidic Air Pollution Using Nylon Fabric

In 1970, deposition of fly ash from a coal burning power plant in downtown Peoria produced minor damage in the vicinity of its smokestack, including runs in ladies nylon stockings. In this article, we review the historical event and discuss the chemistry behind the depolymerization of the nylon, as well as laboratory experiments demonstrating how sulfur-containing acidic vapors, such as those from the combustion of sulfur compounds in coal, attack nylon fibers.