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
Currently, the United State’s Gulf of Mexico experiences an annual, seasonal “dead zone” as a result of hypoxia. Hypoxia is a low level of dissolved oxygen (<2mg/L) in an area of water. Hypoxia is typically temporary and seasonal, but the low oxygen levels can be devastating to aquatic organisms. Hypoxia occurs in many oceanic waters worldwide, but there is a growing area of concern in our Gulf of Mexico coast. Hypoxia is largely caused by nitrogen fertilizer application for agriculture, with heavy concentrations coming from the Midwestern US. Nitrogen mobilizes as nitrate, and is transported via surface water runoff. The runoff enters tile-drain supported ditches, enters streams and joins the Mississippi river, eventually reaching the gulf. Nitrate mobilization is a problem for human health, and ag. runoff is also often attributed to the contamination of surface and well-water sources in rural areas. High levels of nitrates restrict the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen. This can harm humans, and is the major cause of infant methemoglobinemia, or “blue baby syndrome”. The safe drinking level standard is 10mg/L.
In the town of Tooleville, California resident, Maria, bathes her child with water that she traveled to a neighboring city to buy so that her child will not get sick from the nitrate contamination in their water. The town of Tooleville is 82.3% Latinx, and has two major wells, both of which contain unsafe levels of nitrates. As a result, the 339 residents have had to deal with nitrate contamination for years and do not have the water they need to meet their basic human needs. Throughout California there are many communities like Tooleville that do not have access to safe drinking water. California State Senator Bill Monning (D-Carmel) proposed a new bill, Senate Bill 623 (SB623), as a solution for communities specifically like Tooleville.
the groundwater table the need will shift to surface water treatment for drinking water thus if the
We should be concerned about the leaching of nitrogen from soils for several reasons. One problem is that as nitrogen is leached from the soils, it collects in the ground water and in surface streams. This can cause eutrophication, an excess growth of plants and algae, in nearby streams and lakes (Weil, et al, 441). Also, concentrations of nitrate of 10 mg/L or more in drinking water can cause methemoglobinemia, or blue baby syndrome in infants (Hubbard, 802).
The natural level of nitrate is usually low with less than 2 ppm. Meanwhile, the maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) and local limit is 10 ppm. If the concentration of nitrate in a body of water exceeds 10 ppm, it can cause health problems for humans, such as methemoglobinemia, and a spike in the growth of plant life, such as algae blooms. As for the amount of phosphate, there is an even lower natural concentration with 0.05 ppm and 0.1 ppm for the local limit. Similar to an excess amount of nitrate, a higher presence of phosphate encourages aquatic plant growth but also the growth of plankton. This overproduction of nitrate and phosphate forms a growth of toxic algae blooms that then decrease food supplies and destroy habitats. Since nitrate is required by organisms to function and phosphate is essential to the development of complex cells, the algae that grows from these nutrients blocks out the sunlight for organisms below the surface of the water. Thus, these organisms die off and bacteria decomposes the waste, releasing more phosphate. The decomposition also uses up oxygen in the water, which will severely inhibit the growth of other organisms, like fish. As conditions worsen and the deadly cycle continues, the body of water will age in an
A concentration of 42.64 ppm will kill 50% of the brine shrimp population. The nitrate has some effect on the life cycle because nitrate-exposed shrimp develop more quickly but most die off before reaching the adult stage. Research conducted by Hollis and Bedding and published in The New Scientist stated the maximum safe nitrate concentration for drinking water is 45 ppm, and these results compare to the 42.64 ppm for Brine Shrimp. Based on the model organism Artemia, nitrate concentrations in excess of 45 ppm can be potentially harmful to human development. Varying the concentration by 15 ppm from 0 ppm to 135 ppm will provide appropriate data for this
The lack of groundwater oversight has unfortunately introduced concerns that need to be mitigated and better addressed. Some groundwater basins throughout the state are not sustainable for they have experienced a depletion in groundwater storage, experienced groundwater overdraft, had a reduction in stream flows, the potential to lose ecosystems, had a depletion in groundwater quality, experienced land subsidence, and or faced salt water intrusion.
The first culprit to blame for low water quality is agriculture and farming. In his article “Farming, Environmental Tug of War on North Raccoon River,” Mike Kilen (2017) claims, “Des Moines Water Works officials and some scientists say that agriculture practices have led to the high levels, principally from fertilizer that leaches into waterways.” The runoff from the fields is seeping into the state’s waterways. As the use of fertilizers increase the increase of nitrates in the water will increase. That increase is somewhat to
fertilizers contain nitrogen, a chemical that leads to negative effects on water quality. Nitrogen is
In the past 20 years, water quality in Iowa has had a sharp decline due to nitrogen and phosphorus runoff. Too many of these nutrients can lead to health and environmental problems. If infants consume too much nitrogen in their drinking water, they can get a limited supply of oxygen, which is the cause of blue baby syndrome. In the environment, too much phosphorus can lead to algal blooms, which cut off oxygen supply to other marine species. Animal confinements, agricultural fields, and urbanized lawns are some of the main causes of this crisis.
Use of pesticides & other fertilizers infuse nitrogen oxide into the water bodies acidifying the water which kills the plants and aquatic animals living in
The process of eutrophication happens when natural as well as artificial nutrients, mostly nitrates and phosphates, find their way into an aquatic or terrestrial ecosystem. When these nutrients are added to a water body or soil the consequences can show up in numerous forms. One that flourishes when there is extra nutrients is the growth of the microscopic organisms known as phytoplankton (blue-green algae) in freshwater rivers and lakes. When there is an overabundance of them in a lake or river they show up as a green color on top of the water. Excessive algae bloom and weeds are two other results that can also appear when too many nutrients enter a water body. There are two types of eutrophication, natural and cultural, that occur in water bodies. Natural eutrophication occurs at a much slower rate and can take up to a century for results to be seen. Whereas, cultural eutrophication is the more damaging of the two and usually transpires within a few decades. This is due to the excessive accumulation of nutrients at a much faster speed caused by human error. Cultural eutrophication happens when surface run-off, that contains nitrates and phosphates, moves from one place to another, ending up in a river or lake. Unfortunately, there are times when these nutrients end up being leached into the groundwater. At times eutrophication may be severe enough that it causes the oxygen in these water bodies to become quite low. The results of this is seen in the harmful effect it has on aquatic wildlife, creating what is referred to as dead zones. Cultural eutrophication is a problem that is seen universally. Things are being done to fight the spread of eutrophication, along with trying to reverse the damage it has caused to the aquatic e...
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
The most prevalent source of agricultural water pollution is soil that is washed off of fields. These fields have been treated with fertilizers and pesticides, which over time have accumulated heavy metals that are then transferred to lakes and streams. The excess particles cloud the water blocking vital oxygen and sun for the aquatic plants.