Nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, cause water pollution by acting like fertilizer and triggering excessive algae growth in bodies of water.
The Process Explained
When excess nutrients enter waterways, they disrupt the natural balance and lead to several environmental problems.
Excess Nutrient Input
- Sources: Nutrients can enter water bodies from various sources, including urban runoff where lawn and garden fertilizers are used.
Algal Blooms
- Fertilizer Effect: The excessive nutrients essentially "fertilize" the water, causing rapid growth of algae. According to the reference, "too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus...can act like fertilizer, causing excessive growth of algae."
- Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs): These blooms can deplete oxygen levels when the algae die and decompose.
Oxygen Depletion
- Decomposition: As the algae die, bacteria decompose them, consuming large amounts of oxygen.
- Hypoxia/Anoxia: This process leads to reduced or depleted oxygen levels (hypoxia/anoxia), creating "dead zones" where aquatic life cannot survive.
Impacts on Aquatic Life
- Fish Kills: Low oxygen levels can kill fish and other aquatic organisms.
- Habitat Degradation: Algal blooms can block sunlight, harming aquatic plants and disrupting the food chain.
In summary, nutrient pollution creates a chain reaction that degrades water quality and threatens aquatic ecosystems.
