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Eutrophication is a general term describing a process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an increased growth of organisms that may deplete the oxygen in the water. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Eutrophication may occur naturally or as a result of human actions.
Nutrient pollution, a form of water pollution, refers to contamination by excessive inputs of nutrients.It is a primary cause of eutrophication of surface waters (lakes, rivers and coastal waters), in which excess nutrients, usually nitrogen or phosphorus, stimulate algal growth. [1]
Diffuse source pollution from agricultural fertilizers is more difficult to trace, monitor and control. High nitrate concentrations are found in groundwater and may reach 50 mg/litre (the EU Directive limit). In ditches and river courses, nutrient pollution from fertilizers causes eutrophication. This is worse in winter, after autumn ploughing ...
Oxygen depletion, resulting from nitrogen pollution and eutrophication, is a common cause of fish kills. Ecosystems Water pollution is a major global environmental problem because it can result in the degradation of all aquatic ecosystems – fresh, coastal, and ocean waters. [ 75 ]
The algae engage in photosynthesis which supplies oxygen to the fish and biota which inhabit these waters. Occasionally, an excessive algal bloom will occur and can ultimately result in fish death, due to respiration by algae and bottom-living bacteria. The process of eutrophication can occur naturally and by human impact on the environment.
Also, the lack of immediate human toxicity does not mean the substance is environmentally nonhazardous. For example, tanker truck-sized spills of substances such as milk can cause a lot of damage in the local aquatic ecosystems: the added biological oxygen demand causes rapid eutrophication, leading to anoxic conditions in the water body.
Eutrophication is an increase in algal growth which causes the oxygen dissolved in the water to decrease. This decrease creates hypoxic waters that cause the death of other aquatic life like fish. This decreases the amount of biodiversity in the waters where this occurs.
Phosphates have low toxicity in the environment but cause nutrient pollution, a major water quality problem in many watersheds. [17] Phosphates in water cause eutrophication of algae which creates conditions favorable to formation of harmful algal blooms. These blooms prevent light and oxygen from getting into the water, leading to the death of ...