Nitrate Contamination of Ground Water
The Earth's surface is covered by massive amounts of water, but only a small measure of it is safe for consumption. With a very limited supply, we need to focus our energies on preserving its quality and quantity. Nitrates pose a great threat to our precious groundwater. There are many ways that groundwater can be contaminated, but most aren't nearly as detrimental as an increase in the amount of nitrates within our groundwater.
How do nitrates get into the water? We can help you with this answer. Nitrates get into the groundwater from a variety of sources: some involve pastoral farming, market gardening, application of nitrogenous fertilizers, and industrial and sewage waste disposal.
Negligent agricultural practices are easily recognized as the leading cause for nitrate contamination of water. Farmers apply different rates of fertilizers into the soils where they want to grow higher yielding crops. When the producer applies too high of a rate of nitrogen or other fertilizer, it exceeds the soil's need for it, and the soil allows some of the nitrogen to permeate its structure. When this happens repeatedly, a buildup can occur in the underground water source. Agricultural practices contribute greatly toward the percentage of nitrates found in our rural groundwater.
Although farmers are the biggest supplier of nitrates into groundwater, everyone is responsible for additional contamination in one way or another. Nitrogen compounds given off from automobiles are introduced into the ground when it rains. Leaky septic systems can cause a significant increase in the concentration of nitrates in the groundwater. Those who over-fertilize their lawns or gardens contribute to the effects...
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...e our groundwater for generations to come. Most of us want to keep our country clean, so by following all of these suggestions, we can promote a healthier future and water supply. We will finally be able to drink a glass of water without reservation.
Bibliography
Fogg, G.E., Rolston, D.E., Decker, D.L., Louie, D.T., & Grismer, M.E. "Spatial Variation in Nitrogen Isoope Values Beneath Nitrate Contamination Sources." Ground Water 36.3 (1998): 418-426.
Cedergren, M.I., Selbing, A.J., Lofman, O., & Kallen, B.A.J. "Chlorination Byproducts and Nitrate in Drinking Water and Risk for Congenital Cardiac Defects." Environmental Research 89 (2002): 124-130
Nolan, B.T., Hitt, K.J., & Ruddy, B.C. "Probability of Nitrate Contamination of Recently Recharged Groundwaters in the Conterminous United States." Environmental Science and Technology 36.10 (2002): 2138-2145
In the eutrophication test, we tested the phosphate, nitrate, and dissolved oxygen in the Conodoguinet Creek. We had a total of 9 tests for each of these items. Everyone who conducted these tests that day got the same results. The average for phosphate is 0.1, which is very good for the creek. The lower the phosphate, the better and less polluted the water is. 0.9 was the average for nitrate in the water. Nitrate is just like phosphate, the lower the nitrate the better the water quality is. The average for the dissolved oxygen is 9.8, which isn’t the best it can be, but it isn’t bad either. The average for the dissolved oxygen was lower because the weather was warm over the past few months, so that made the dissolved oxygen go down. Since the number was medium it shows us that the Conodoguinet Creek is not that polluted by doing this
plants increases so will the need for nutrient control programs to ensure the natural water bodies
Water is essential in our everyday life. Water is one of the most important substances on earth. All plants and animals utilize water to survive. Therefore it is vital that there be clean water for our communities to utilize to survive as a whole. Unfortunately because of different determinants our source of water are not always safe to use. We happen to have to deal with contamination of drinking water. Contamination of fresh water used for household needs, including pollution of oceans, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. There are categories of the different contaminants that exist such as Physical contaminants, Chemical contaminants, Biological contaminants, and radiological contaminants ("Types of Drinking Water Contaminants | Drinking Water
So, the problem of pollution can be decreased. Besides, we also have to impair water and total maximum daily loads. People in this world have their responsibility to protect and treat the water into a good way, not to pollute it. So, we have to prevent the water bodies of water that do not meet water quality standard.
(all-about-water-filter.com) Hinckley water contamination is another watering facility which failed during 1952 to 1956. Its water caused dozens of people fall in illness and some people even dead from the exposure. (all-about-water-filter.com) In one town, 2300 people felt sick after drinking the water from Walkerton, that is about half of the people in that area. (all-about-water-filter.com) Though people might found some changes in the water qualities if the watering companies are using the lower qualities filter, but they must use these water as they are the only water supplier. Another reason for the tap water is not safe to drink is because of the pollution in the water source. These pollutions are usually due to some factories do not treat their waste water seriously, the blow-off systems might just connect to the local river. Some industries will produce waste water with chemical components, and these components will permeate through the riverbed to the underground water, then finally polluted the water around the world. There are some
Even though the earths surface is nearly 70% water, only around 2.5% of it is drinkable so water conservation in crucial for a sustainable future. In order to conserve water in your everyday life, it is not essential that you have a complicated irrigation system, it is taking simple actions such as taking shorter showers, only using the dishwasher and washing machine for full loads, turning off the tap when brushing your teeth and it may also be smart having a water tank or a gutter system that maximizes rainwater, especially is you live in an area where rain is abundant. Taking personal responsibility in improving food security is vital, as if everyone does there part than the results would be unbelievable and not only are the recommendations above easy and may seem helpless they will create a world of difference. If you believe that you are not capable of helping and it should be left to people in positions of power than no progress will ever be
The aim of the following experiment is to determine the correlation between the level of nitrates in the water and the growth of duckweed. It is expected that the increased amount of nitrates in the water will cause the duckweed to grow. The duckweed is expected to absorb the nitrates as it grows and therefore lower the levels of nitrates in the water. This is a valid aim as the results could be used as a method of deterring and removing eutrophication in bodies of water where other methods may not be suitable. It is expected that the higher levels of nitrates will cause duckweed colonies in a body of water to grow in population at the same time lowering levels of nitrates in the water.
“As soil fertility declines due to repeated tillage and other industrial practices, farmers began using more synthetic nitrogen. Synthetic nitrogen is leaching into and affecting groundwater. A 2015 study from environmental science and technology letters, linked nitrate from fertilizers to uranium contamination of drinking water from to major US aquifers." (Poncavage, Joanna) Consuming this uranium-contaminated drinking water gives risk for kidney damage and cancer. Not only water, but food gets directly affected due to the number of fertilizers used on subsiding crops with synthetic nitrogen. All determining that our foods are considered
Excess nitrogen in water has been linked to methemoglobinemia, a condition where increased levels of methemoglobin are present in the blood preventing oxygen to be carried throughout the body. Methemoglobinemia is potentially lethal to infants. Along with nitrogen, phosphorus indirectly can harm human health. Phosphorus is a catalyst for toxic algal growth. A study from Sarasota County, Florida documented “increased emergency room visit(s) for respiratory illnesses resulting from algal blooms”(EPA 2015). Non-point source water pollutants not only harm humans, but also live stock.Nitrogen enriched water “causes methemoglobinemia and abortions in cattle”(Caraco 1998). Along with live stock, entire aquatic ecosystems are damaged by the eutrophication caused by non-point source water
Water is considered the most abundant compound material on the planet, and is also essential for all living habitants. Two thirds of our world’s surface is made up of water and close to 70 percent of the earth is made up of human beings, thus there is a clear sight that water is the prime element which is responsible for life on earth. No matter the essence, water is a resource we cannot do without especially to maintain a certain quality of life. As a society we need to do everything that we can to sustain its quality and quantity in order to also sustain the life on earth for not only today, but tomorrow as well. Human beings have lost respect for water, which is evident in how we dump sewage, garbage and chemicals in our rivers and other water bodies, exploit the living bodies in the water even to the point of extinction.
The presence of excess nutrients in fresh water bodies can breed bacteria that can kill both livestock and humans if not properly filtered and sanitized. This is particularly problematic in areas that do not have access to clean water such as developing countries. The presence of excess nutrients in water supplies can cause sickness in humans that exacerbates the issues of poverty across the globe. In addition, to humans becoming sick, “Mass mortalities of wildlife have been attributed to cyanobacterial blooms (Dodds et al., 2008). These deaths can be avoided if care is taken in how humans affect the biogeochemical cycles on this planet. Together, all of the impacts mentioned that include losses of aesthetics and use, losses of biodiversity, and decreasing water quality cost large amounts of money to human populations every year. As Dodd’s et al. estimated, just in fresh water ecosystems the annual costs of eutrophication totals more than 2.2 billion dollars annually(Dodd’s et al.2008), and this is a conservative estimate. If the costs associated with salt water ecosystems were added to the costs estimated in fresh water habitats, this number would be much higher. Overall, the issue of eutrophication has massive impacts across many scales and represents a key issue that
There are many dangers lurking in contaminated groundwater. Drinking the contaminated water can result in diseases, such as hepatitis, poisoning, and certain types of cancer. Microorganisms, such as bacteria or parasites, can infect groundwater and can be ingested from drinking the water or from leisure activities. For example, a mother that is bottle feeding her baby might incidentally be poisoning her child with pesticides, nitrates, or atmospheric pollutants. Children, the elderly and pregnant woman are most susceptible to the adverse effects of groundwater contamination. An example of this is Baby Blue syndrome which is caused by high levels of nitrates in drinking water. This syndrome can lead to heart disorders in young children and will require surgery for treatment. In addition, if our groundwater is contaminated then our crops might also run the risk of contamination. Our crops would be less healthy and less plentiful and could potentially have a negative effect on our quality of
While the earth may be mostly water, only about 2-1/2 percent of it is fresh water. Of that 2.5%, even less is considered to be potable. Potable water is water that is considered to be safe to drink and cook with. While many countries are working to build water treatment plants, the fact is that due to changes in the climate the amount of rain and ice melts from winter have dropped off and lowered the reserve supplies of freshwater to be treated. There are initiatives to educate and regulate the use of water in the world, as well as exploration into the technology of water farming in arid countries
Agricultural pollution is a very big contributor to water pollution. Problems we see with agriculture are applications of fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides. We have made vast improvements in the types of chemicals we are using, as to how environmentally friendly they are. In 1985 the amount of fertilizer added to America’s fields was 11.5 million tons. Not only do these chemicals leech in to the soil, but they are also swept off the soils by rain and wind. When these fertilizers reach the water there is a sudden boom in plant growth. When the plants die, bacteria that need oxygen to live eat their bodies. This starts to deplete the amount of oxygen in the water for other fish and animals to live and breath, and they end up dying. Besides the chemical contamination on the farm there are major problems with animal wastes. (Jones,1993,pp.39-60)
Smith, Zachary A., and Grenetta Thomassey. Freshwater Issues: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2002. Print