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Environmental Effects of Fertilizer Use

The Haber-Bosch process for producing nitrogen fertilizers has had major unintended consequences. It has transformed agriculture but also led to substantial environmental impacts like eutrophication from agricultural runoff containing excess nitrogen and phosphorus in waterways. This causes increased aquatic plant and algae growth that depletes oxygen in the water and can create dead zones unable to support life.

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zarna nirmal rawal
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37 views1 page

Environmental Effects of Fertilizer Use

The Haber-Bosch process for producing nitrogen fertilizers has had major unintended consequences. It has transformed agriculture but also led to substantial environmental impacts like eutrophication from agricultural runoff containing excess nitrogen and phosphorus in waterways. This causes increased aquatic plant and algae growth that depletes oxygen in the water and can create dead zones unable to support life.

Uploaded by

zarna nirmal rawal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Impacts of availability of fertilizers [20]

The Haber-Bosch process is considered by many to be one of the most important transformational
technological developments of the modern age, with some of the most substantial unintended
consequences.

CHOOSE ONE OF THE RESEARCH TASK BELOW AND WRITE A REPORT AS INSTRUCTED.

A) A significant environmental effect of the widespread use agricultural fertilizers on our planet
is eutrophication: the accelerated growth of aquatic plants and algae in the water bodies
that contain excess nutrients (namely Nitrogen and Phosphorous) as a result of agricultural
runoff. The increased presence of plants and algae depletes the level of dissolved oxygen in
the water, referred to as hypoxia, and often leads to areas of open water that are unable to
sustain life ( also known as “dead zones”).

As a chemical hydrologist specializing in nutrient loss strategies, you are producing a


community report on the health of the local watersheds. Research the specific
environmental impacts and significantly viable prevention solutions related to agricultural
runoff in a river of your choice. Your report can be written, visual or a combination of both
and must include:
 How the watershed has changed over the past 15-20 years
 Current measures that are being implemented to restore the health of the
watershed
 A justified proposal for the future measures that can be taken to reduce or eliminate
the nonpoint source pollutants.

Moreover, your report should also answer the following questions:

 How can imbalanced relationships produce local and global effects?


 What are some of the consequences (moral, ethical, and/or environmental) of the
infinite resources being finite?

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