Ground and Surface Water Ground and Surface Water Pollution by Nitrogen Pollution by Nitrogen

CompoundsCompounds

April 18, 2005April 18, 2005

Team: SluggersTeam: Sluggers

Names of Team MembersNames of Team Members

GOALSGOALS

• Learn how to use nitrogen fertilizers Learn how to use nitrogen fertilizers effectivelyeffectively

• Learn how nitrate effects drinking Learn how nitrate effects drinking water from wellswater from wells

• Teach about the health effects of Teach about the health effects of nitrogen in drinking waternitrogen in drinking water

• Teach you how to remove nitrogen Teach you how to remove nitrogen pollution and prevent itpollution and prevent it

13.20 Nitrogen fertilizers are 13.20 Nitrogen fertilizers are important for crops but cause important for crops but cause serious pollutionserious pollution

Use of Nitrogen as a Use of Nitrogen as a Fertilizer Fertilizer • In 1989 the main sources In 1989 the main sources

of nitrogen fertilizers were of nitrogen fertilizers were sodium nitrate and sodium nitrate and ammonium sulphate ammonium sulphate

• Sodium nitrate was Sodium nitrate was obtained from immense obtained from immense deposits of nitrate-bearing deposits of nitrate-bearing rocks, called caliche, that rocks, called caliche, that had been discovered in had been discovered in Chile at the beginning of Chile at the beginning of the nineteenth century.the nineteenth century.

• Ammonium sulfate was Ammonium sulfate was obtained from coal gas. obtained from coal gas. Other sources of nitrogen Other sources of nitrogen included sewage, guano included sewage, guano (bird droppings), and (bird droppings), and manure, but these were of manure, but these were of declining importance. declining importance.

Nitrogen in Plants, Soil, Nitrogen in Plants, Soil, and Groundwaterand Groundwater• Good crop yields = adequate supply of nitrogen.Good crop yields = adequate supply of nitrogen.• Not enough nitrogen = yellow or stunted crops/ Not enough nitrogen = yellow or stunted crops/

smaller than normal flowers/fruits.smaller than normal flowers/fruits.

• Forms of Soil Nitrogen. In the soil, it exists in two Forms of Soil Nitrogen. In the soil, it exists in two major classes of compounds:major classes of compounds:

• Organic nitrogen, such as proteins, amino acids, Organic nitrogen, such as proteins, amino acids, and urea, including nitrogen found within living and urea, including nitrogen found within living organisms and decaying plant and animal tissues.organisms and decaying plant and animal tissues.

• Inorganic nitrogen, including ammonium (NH4+), Inorganic nitrogen, including ammonium (NH4+), ammonia gas (NH3), nitrite (N02), and nitrate ammonia gas (NH3), nitrite (N02), and nitrate (N03).(N03).

Nitrogen in Plants, Soil, Nitrogen in Plants, Soil, and Groundwater Cont.and Groundwater Cont.

• The Nitrogen The Nitrogen Cycle :Cycle :– FixationFixation– MineralizationMineralization– NitrificationNitrification– Plant UptakePlant Uptake– LeachingLeaching– DenitrificationDenitrification

Fertilize Crops, Not Fertilize Crops, Not Groundwater Groundwater

• Supply nitrogen in an organic form such as manure or legume Supply nitrogen in an organic form such as manure or legume residues residues

-- To use fertilizer nitrogen correctly, take the following steps for To use fertilizer nitrogen correctly, take the following steps for non legume crops:non legume crops:

• 1. Establish a realistic goal for crop yield, and from this goal 1. Establish a realistic goal for crop yield, and from this goal estimate the amount of nitrogen that the crop must estimate the amount of nitrogen that the crop must accumulate. accumulate.

• 2. Estimate the amount of nitrogen that will be supplied by the 2. Estimate the amount of nitrogen that will be supplied by the mineralization of soil organic nitrogen and crop residues. mineralization of soil organic nitrogen and crop residues.

• 3. Use any available manure nitrogen to supplement the soil 3. Use any available manure nitrogen to supplement the soil and crop residue supplies. and crop residue supplies.

• 4. If necessary, supplement these nitrogen sources with enough 4. If necessary, supplement these nitrogen sources with enough fertilizer to meet the yield goal for the particular crop. fertilizer to meet the yield goal for the particular crop.

• 5. Apply any needed fertilizer just before the period of most 5. Apply any needed fertilizer just before the period of most rapid crop uptake to minimize leaching and denitrification. rapid crop uptake to minimize leaching and denitrification.

Nitrates in Well WaterNitrates in Well Water

• Concern has been expressed about the Concern has been expressed about the increasing nitrate levels in drinking increasing nitrate levels in drinking water- particularly in rural areas.water- particularly in rural areas.

• Uncontaminated groundwater has Uncontaminated groundwater has nitrate nitrogen level of 2ppm.nitrate nitrogen level of 2ppm.

• About 9% of shallow aquifers where About 9% of shallow aquifers where well water is extracted now have well water is extracted now have nitrate levels of 10ppm.nitrate levels of 10ppm.

How do Nitrates get into How do Nitrates get into Wells?Wells?

• Runoff of nitrogen fertilizers, both Runoff of nitrogen fertilizers, both inorganic, and animal manure.inorganic, and animal manure.

• Atmospheric depositionAtmospheric deposition

• Human sewage deposited in septic Human sewage deposited in septic systemsystem

• Cultivation of soilCultivation of soil

• Runoff from barnyards and feedlotsRunoff from barnyards and feedlots

Nitrates in WellsNitrates in Wells

• Wells most vulnerable to nitrate Wells most vulnerable to nitrate contamination include; shallow wells, contamination include; shallow wells, dug wells w/ casing that is not dug wells w/ casing that is not watertight, and wells that have watertight, and wells that have damaged or leaking casing or fittings.damaged or leaking casing or fittings.

• Nitrate contamination of a well is Nitrate contamination of a well is often regarded as the first sign of often regarded as the first sign of deteriorating groundwater.deteriorating groundwater.

Nitrates in WellsNitrates in Wells

• Nitrate is tasteless, odorless, and Nitrate is tasteless, odorless, and colorless. To find out if there is colorless. To find out if there is nitrate in your water, have it tested nitrate in your water, have it tested by Dept. of Health.by Dept. of Health.

• It's a good idea to have a routine It's a good idea to have a routine nitrate test every two or three years.nitrate test every two or three years.

Health Effect of Nitrate Health Effect of Nitrate PollutionPollution

• Excess nitrate ion in drinking water is Excess nitrate ion in drinking water is a potential health hazarda potential health hazard

• Methemoglobinemia, otherwise Methemoglobinemia, otherwise known as blue baby syndrome deals known as blue baby syndrome deals with new born babies and adults with with new born babies and adults with a particular enzyme deficiency is a a particular enzyme deficiency is a pathological processpathological process

Health effects of Nitrate Health effects of Nitrate PollutionPollution• Bacteria for example, in Bacteria for example, in

unsterilized baby bottles or unsterilized baby bottles or in their stomach converts in their stomach converts the nitrate ion to the nitrate ion to nitrite ionnitrite ion

• NONO3-3- ~> NO ~> NO2-2-

• The nitrite then combines The nitrite then combines with the hemoglobin in with the hemoglobin in blood and prevents blood and prevents absorption and transfer of absorption and transfer of oxygenoxygen

• Thus, the baby turns blue Thus, the baby turns blue and suffers respiratory and suffers respiratory failurefailure

Health effects of Nitrate Health effects of Nitrate Pollution Cont…Pollution Cont…• In most adults the oxidized In most adults the oxidized

hemoglobin converts back hemoglobin converts back to oxygen-carrying form to oxygen-carrying form and nitrite becomes nitrate and nitrite becomes nitrate againagain

• Before this occurs the Before this occurs the nitrate is usually absorbed nitrate is usually absorbed in digestive system before in digestive system before reduction to nitrite can reduction to nitrite can occuroccur

• Methemoglobinemia isn’t Methemoglobinemia isn’t such a problem in such a problem in industrialized countries but industrialized countries but rather in some developing rather in some developing countriescountries

• There is some things you There is some things you can do to prevent such can do to prevent such things as the “baby blue things as the “baby blue syndrome”syndrome”

• The EPA set a public water The EPA set a public water supply maximum supply maximum contaminant level of contaminant level of 10mg/l, or 10ppm for 10mg/l, or 10ppm for nitrate-nitrogennitrate-nitrogen

• If drinking water source If drinking water source contains nitrate-nitrogen contains nitrate-nitrogen above this level, use bottled above this level, use bottled water or treat water with a water or treat water with a distillerdistiller

• Boiling water containing the Boiling water containing the nitrate does not reduce nitrate does not reduce these levelsthese levels

Nitrate Ion causing CancerNitrate Ion causing Cancer

• One more link One more link between high levels of between high levels of nitrate in drinking nitrate in drinking water is cancerwater is cancer

• The increased risk for The increased risk for the cancer called non-the cancer called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Hodgkin’s lymphoma in a persons in a persons consuming water consuming water having the highest having the highest levels of nitratelevels of nitrate

Removal of Nitrogen Removal of Nitrogen PollutantsPollutants• 3 general methods3 general methods

– Non-treatmentNon-treatment– Ion exchangeIon exchange– Bio-chemical Bio-chemical

denitrificationdenitrification

• Non-treatment Non-treatment replaces the polluted replaces the polluted water with pure waterwater with pure water– Only successful with Only successful with

contained pollutioncontained pollution

Removal MethodsRemoval Methods

• Ion ExchangeIon Exchange

• 4 steps4 steps– Resin bed rechargeResin bed recharge– Anion exchangeAnion exchange– Resin is “exhausted”Resin is “exhausted”– Resin regenerationResin regeneration

• No complete removal No complete removal with this methodwith this method

• Cheapest at 24.2 Cheapest at 24.2 cents/1000 gallonscents/1000 gallons

• Bio-chemical Bio-chemical DenitrificationDenitrification– Denitrifying bacteria Denitrifying bacteria

and microbes are and microbes are implanted in the waterimplanted in the water

– Reduces nitrate ions to Reduces nitrate ions to elemental Nelemental N22

– Photosynthetic algae Photosynthetic algae can also do thiscan also do this

– Can be affected by Can be affected by other toxins in water other toxins in water rendering them uselessrendering them useless

PreventionPrevention

• Athletic fields and golf courses can control Athletic fields and golf courses can control the pollution by using slow release nitrogen the pollution by using slow release nitrogen sources or smaller amounts used more oftensources or smaller amounts used more often

• Farmers need to cut down unnecessary Farmers need to cut down unnecessary amounts of nitrogen fertilizers usedamounts of nitrogen fertilizers used

• Manure should be stored in cement pits or Manure should be stored in cement pits or “slurrystores” rather than in manure lagoons“slurrystores” rather than in manure lagoons

• Grassy floodplains should be left in original Grassy floodplains should be left in original state and not drainedstate and not drained

SummarySummary

• FertilizersFertilizers

• Sources of PollutionSources of Pollution

• Health effectsHealth effects

• Removal of pollutantsRemoval of pollutants

• PreventionPrevention

BibliographyBibliography

• Baird, C.; Gloffke, W. Water: Sources Pollution, and Baird, C.; Gloffke, W. Water: Sources Pollution, and Purification:Purification:Chemistry Chemistry in Your Life. in Your Life. W.H. Freeman and Company: W.H. Freeman and Company: New York. 2003. pp. New York. 2003. pp. 498-502.498-502.

• University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension. University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension. Drinking Water: Drinking Water: MethemoglobinemiaMethemoglobinemia. http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/water.. http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/water.

• Trautmann, N.; Porter, K. Trautmann, N.; Porter, K. Nitrogen: The Essential Element.Nitrogen: The Essential Element. http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/facts-slides-self/facts/nit-el-http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/facts-slides-self/facts/nit-el-grw89.html.grw89.html.

• Haller, L.; McCarthy, P. Haller, L.; McCarthy, P. Nitrate Pollution of GroundwaterNitrate Pollution of Groundwater. . http://www.reopure.com/nitratinfo.html.http://www.reopure.com/nitratinfo.html.