Does vog impact plants and animals?
The sulfuric acid droplets in vog have the corrosive properties of dilute battery acid. When vog mixes directly with moisture on the leaves of plants, it can cause severe chemical burns, which can damage or kill the plants. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas can also diffuse through leaves and dissolve to form acidic conditions within plant tissue. Farmers on Hawai`i Island, particularly in the Ka`u District, have reported losses to agricultural crops and flowers as a result of the recent high SO2 emissions from the new gas vent at Kīlauea ‘s summit. The Hawai`i Department of Agriculture has not received any reports of vog-related problems with animals. The Web site below provides information on how to protect livestock.
