Eutrophication In Our Environment

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Eutrophication is a process occurring naturally in our environment. It is an artificial nutrient enrichment of aquatic system such as coastal water, river, ponds, lakes or freshwater with excess amount of organic material or inorganic nutrients. This will then leads to an excessive growth of photosynthetic plant life such as algae, plankton or duckweed. Consequently, it triggers the abnormal population of other aquatic organisms. This artificial nutrient enrichment may be occurred as a result of human activities or natural processes.

The main nutrients that will trigger the growth of photosynthetic plants are nitrate, phosphorus and potassium which are normally found in fertilizers. These nutrients will be easily converted into ammonium, which is a major compound that causes eutrophication. Nitrate is the nutrient which triggers eutrophication in coastal water. In contrast, phosphorus is the limiting nutrient which can triggers eutrophication in freshwater.

WHY IT HAPPENS …show more content…

For instance, eutrophication can be accelerated through the increased leaching of inorganic fertilizers which containing the compounds such as nitrate, potassium and phosphorus from agricultural lands during raining into the aquatic system. These fertilizers may lead to the increased of production of algae or plankton as they are the perfect types of nutrients for algae and plankton. Besides, the discharge of phosphate-containing detergent and untreated sewage into the aquatic system can also lead to eutrophication. Apart from that, eutrophication can also caused by the soil erosion as a result of deforestation and the released of animal wastes from farmlands into aquatic system. Eutrophication is also common in river near the industrial area because of the wastes discharged from the

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