Question

What could be the main sources of nitrogen contributing to river water quality deterioration?

Answer 1

Nitrogen being common element is present in environment 78% of volume in its different forms. Nitrogen is one of useful nutrient such as oxygen, carbon as it helps in nourishment. Portable water is rich with different varities of minerals & nitrogen is one of them. Due to its common appearance and its wide application, nitrogen is used commonly for different reasons. Till each element is in limit it plays vital role & if this limit is exceeded it leads to deterioration of environment.

As nitrogen is present n different forms, it can enter in water easily through any means. But if the nitrogen exceeds its limit in portable water, it can deteriorate water quality. Sources of such nitrogen causing deterioration of water are explained below.

1. Acid Rain :- in recent years due to industrialisation, nitrogen content is raised heavily due to atmospheric deposition of industrial gases into the environment. As a result of it, this excess of nitrogen is carried with rain to the earth and later to the different sources of portable water. These nitric gases like nitrates or nitrites are easily soluble in water.

2. Fertilizers :- to improve the productivity, to maximize the profit and to obtain crops in short period farmers uses fertilizers in large extent. As nitrogen is a nourishing element these fertilizers contains nitrogen. these nitrogen provided for plants growth is not fully utilised by plants and remaining nitrogen is exposed on plants or on land. Remaining nitrates either dissolve in water or moves through the soil to ground water.

3. Human & Animal wastage :- human body consist of 3% of nitrogen. Human and animal wastage consist lagre amount of ammonium and ammonia in it. These wastage need to be treated properly before disposals. due to large population our septic system is responsible for testing large quantity of waste but due to either mechanical or other error it is not possible to remove nitrogen in each process. Animal waste like of cows, buffalo, goats are stored in open environment before used as manure.

4. Urban areas :- Residues of nitrogen present in surface of roof, roads is washed with runoff water during wet weather. In urban ares sources of nitrogen differs like wood, kerosene, coal which are either used as fuel or heating appliances releases nitrogen directly after combustion. Appliances like stoves, ovens, water heaters, if poorly maintained too can contribute in nitrogen emission. Vehicles used such as cars, buses or passanger vehicles are major contributor of nitrogen oxide.

Along with these sources there are many different sources contributing deterioration of portable water throuh direct or indirect way. Along with deterioriation of water, excess of nitrogen can also disturb water life.