Unit 3: Nutrient Pollution - Inorganic Nutrient Pollution
- Created by: rosieevie
- Created on: 08-04-15 15:52
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- Inorganic Nutrient Pollution - plant nutrients e.g. NO3-, PO4-
- Sources
- Farmland runoff after fertiliser application and ploughing
- Sewage effluent
- Ingested in food
- Breakdown of dead organic matter
- Effects
- Blue-baby syndrome - bacteria in the gut converts nitrates to nitrites and reduce blood O2 capacity (infants high risk due to more bacteria)
- Nitrates and cancer (inconclusive) - nitrates converted to nitrites converted to nitrosamines which are potentially carcinogenic
- Cultural eutrophication - nutrients increase algal growth
- Blue-green algae release toxins
- Floating algae shades plants which causes deoxygenation
- Algal populations fluctuate which can change nutrient levels
- Controls
- Reduced nitrate fertiliser use
- Reduced ploughing (especially in heavy rain)
- Avoid dumping manure in places that can leach
- Use less soluble, slow release fertilisers
- Sources
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