Pilsam C. Sotelo Jr.

MBio-1-2 January 22, 2023

2022-8-0255

Eutrophication: Increase of Unnecessary Nutrients in Water

Fertilizer is primarily plant sustenance. Plants, like humans, require a range of nutrients to develop
and survive. While humans acquire nutrients from what they consume (meat, vegetables, fruits,
dairy, grains), plants on the other hand get the majority of their nutrients from the soil. There are
many various types of soil, and some lack the nutrients required for the plant to develop and thrive,
or the nutrients are linked to the soil in a form that the plant cannot utilize. This is where fertilizer
is involved.

Most agricultural compounds comprise the three fundamental soil nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus,
and potassium, or the so-called NPK nutrients. Specific "micronutrients," such as zinc and other
metals, are also present in some fertilizers and are required for vegetative growth. Fertilizers are
used to restore the soil with vital nutrients for vegetative growth that have been depleted.

The issue arises when an excessive amount of these nutrients are delivered to a body of water,
causing an uncontrolled development of algae that obscure and erode the water. As the algae
corrode, this may result in more significant issues such as low amounts of dissolved oxygen.
During rain events and precipitation patterns, excess nitrogen and phosphorus may be transported
or brought to farmlands and into streams, and it can also seep through the earth and even into
groundwater over time. Algal blooms or eutrophication of aquatic environments can occur once
the phosphorous and nitrogen levels are particularly high. Hypoxia ("dead zones") caused by
eutrophication can result in fish fatalities thus resulting in a decline of aquatic life. Excess nutrients
in ecosystems can induce harmful algal blooms (HABs), that not only disrupt animals but also
produce toxins that are hazardous to humans.

Fertilizer leakage in groundwater also creates enigmas for land creatures. Nitrates produce
methemoglobinemia, a condition in which hemoglobin is converted into methemoglobin, which
does not bind to oxygen, in areas where groundwater is the predominant supply of drinking water.
A shortage of oxygen causes the skin to become blue and causes weariness and an increase in heart
rate.

Eutrophication triggers a chain reaction in the biosphere, commencing with an overabundance of

algae and plants. Excessive cyanobacteria and plant detritus dissolve and emit enormous volumes
of carbon dioxide. This causes ocean acidification by decreasing the pH level of seawater.
Acidification inhibits fish and shellfish growth and can hinder bivalve mollusk shell formation. As
a result, commercial and recreational fisheries acquire less, resulting in smaller harvests and more
costly seafood.
Links for Citations:

Stewart, R. (2023, February 23). Fertilizer | Definition, Types, Plant Nutrients, Application, &
Facts. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/fertilizer
Fertilizer & Water: Indiana clear choices clean water. Indiana Clear Choices Clean Water | Take
a Pledge! (2022, October 4). Retrieved January 23, 2023, from
https://indiana.clearchoicescleanwater.org/pledges/lawns/fertilizer-impacts/#void
US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (2019, April 2). What is eutrophication? NOAA's
National Ocean Service. Retrieved January 23, 2023, from
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/eutrophication.html
gov, E. P. A. (2022, October 28). The sources and solutions: Agriculture | US EPA. The Sources
and Solutions: Agriculture. Retrieved January 22, 2023, from
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-agriculture
Water quality. Fertilizer Management. (2019). Retrieved January 23, 2023, from
https://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/agriculturewq/fertilizer
US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A. (2015, January 26). Eutrophication. Ocean Shorts.
Retrieved January 23, 2023, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast/jan15/os5-
eutrophication.html