Acid Precipitation: Strong and Weak Acids

Doubt is cast on the accuracy of the results reported by Frohliger and Kane concerning the acid character of rain. They do not believe that the pH of rainfall was ever controlled by the solubility of CO/sub 2/ in the precipitation and discredit the assumption that strong acids account for the presently observed pH value. The specific issue is exactly what acid species are responsible for the ambient pH values that Frohliger and Kane observed. Total acidity values as reported by them are informative but not adequate to answer this question. Only a complete chemical analysis of their samples would provide the necessary information. Lacking such independent data, total acidity values can be variously interpreted.