Pollution Management

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Pollution Management

• 5.4 Eutrophication

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Assessment Statements

• 5.4.1 Outline the processes of eutrophication.
• 5.4.2 Evaluate the impacts of eutrophication.
• 5.4.3 Describe and evaluate pollution management
  strategies with respect to eutrophication.

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5.4.1 Outline the processes of eutrophication.

• Eutrophication refers to the nutrient enrichment
  of streams, ponds, and groundwater.
• It is caused when increased levels of nitrogen or
  phosphorus are carried into water bodies.
• It can cause algal blooms, oxygen starvation, and
  eventually the decline of biodiversity in aquatic
  ecosystems.
• Phosphorus in the form of phosphates often come
  from domestic detergents

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5.4.1 Outline the processes of eutrophication.

• Nitrogen often comes from burning of fossil fuels
  or from fertilizers applied to soil
• Eutrophication involves
• Increase in nitrates and phosphates in water
• Rapid growth of algae
• Light blocked from submerged aquatic plants
• Accumulation of dead organic matter
• Increased activity of decomposers
• Increased removal of oxygen by decomposers
• Reduced oxygen kills fish and other organisms

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5.4.2 Evaluate the impacts of eutrophication.

• Main reasons high concentrations of nitrogen in
  rivers and groundwater are a problem
• Nitrogen compounds can cause undesirable effects
  in the aquatic ecosystems, especially excessive
  growth of algae.
• Loss of fertilizer is an economic loss to the
  farmer.
• High concentrations of nitrates in drinking water
  may increase stomach cancer and blue baby
  syndrome (due to insufficient oxygen in the
  mothers blood for the developing baby) rates.

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5.4.3 Describe and evaluate pollution managements
strategies with respect to eutrophication.

• Main ways of dealing with eutrophication
  Altering human activities, regulating and
  reducing the nutrient source, clean up
  strategies.
• Altering the human activities that produce
  pollution by using alternative types of
  fertilizer, detergent, etc.
• Avoid using nitrogen fertilizers between
  mid-September and mid-February.
• Use autumn-sown crops.
• Sow autumn-sown crops as early as possible and
  maintain crop cover thru autumn and winter.

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5.4.3 Describe and evaluate pollution management
strategies with respect to eutrophication.

• Use split applications to obtain the best match
  of nitrogen supply and demand and reduce risk of
  nitrogen loss cereals March, Grass monthly
• Do not apply nitrogen next to headlands.
• Use less nitrogen if previous year was dry.
• Do not plow up grass.
• Use steep slopes for pasture, and flat lands for
  crops.
• Incorporate straw into the soil
• Direct drilling and minimal cultivation reduce
  nitrogen loss by up to half.

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5.4.3 Describe and evaluate pollution management
strategies with respect to eutrophication.

• Regulating and reducing pollutants at sewage
  treatment plants
• Perform phosphate stripping (caused to
  precipitate out) on sewage treatment
• Use zero/low-phosphorus detergents
• Full loads in washing machines
• Wash vehicles on porous surfaces away from drains
  or gutters
• Use less fertilizers on gardens
• Compost garden and food waste
• Collect and bury pet feces

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5.4.3 Describe and evaluate pollution management
strategies with respect to eutrophication.

• Clean up and restoration of polluted water by
  pumping mud from eutrophic lakes
• Precipitation (Treatment to precipitate
  phosphates)
• Removal of nutrient-enriched sediments like mud
  pumping
• Removal of biomass and using it for thatching or
  fuel
• Prevention is better than treating as it is far
  more technically feasible, cheaper, and provides
  better products