Nutrient Pollution By: Claudia del Castillo and Karissa Cisneros

What is Nutrient Pollution? “Nutrient pollution is the process where too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, are added to bodies of water [and in the air] and can act like fertilizer, causing excessive growth of algae” (National Ocean Service). Nutrient pollution is one of America’s most widespread, costly and challenging environmental problems, and is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air and water (EPA: Nutrient Pollution).

Nutrient Pollution Biotic factor is plants that give us oxygen, and the animals that we eat. Abiotic factors are the sun, water and soil. One example of how pollution affect our ecosystem is by the water becoming polluted by chemical and product leaks.

Nutrient Pollution in the Water Can lead to serious problems – Low level of oxygen of water dissolved in the water. – Algal growth blocks light. –Causes death of fish, crabs, oysters, etc. (National Ocean Service) The impacts of nutrient pollution are found in all types of water bodies. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus can travel thousands of miles. Airborne nitrogen also poses environmental risks. (EPA: The facts about Nutrient Pollution)

Economic Impact -Nutrient Pollution has diverse impacts on the U.S. economy, impacts on tourism, property values, commercial fishing, recreational business and many other sectors that depend on cleanwater. - Drinking Water Costs: nitrates and algal blooms in drinking water sources can drastically increase treatment costs. Nitrate-removal systems in Minnesota caused supply costs to rise from 5-10 cents per 1000 gallons to over $4 per 1000 gallons. It can also cost billions of dollars to clean up polluted water bodies. Every dollar spent on protecting sources of drinking water saves in water treatment costs. -Tourism Losses: The tourism industry loses close to $1 billion each year, mostly through losses in fishing and boating activities, as a result of water bodies that have been affected by nutrient pollution and harmful algal blooms.

Economic Impact (continued)- -Commercial fishing and shellfish losses Fishing and shellfish industries are hurt by harmful algal blooms that kill fish and contaminate shellfish. Annual losses to these industries from nutrient pollution are estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars. -Real estate losses Clean water can raise the value of a nearby home by up to 25 percent. Waterfront property values can decline because of the unpleasant sight and odor of algal blooms.

Current Research/Focus - New technologies are changing the way we monitor pollution levels in the environment. EPA is studying innovative technologies that will measure nutrient pollution in the air and water using satellites, portable and ground remote sensors as well as measurement and model data. These technologies enhance current monitoring activities and also provide cheaper and faster information on nutrients and other pollutants. -Nutrient pollution, excess nitrogen and phosphorous carried in runoff and other sources from land sparks excessive algal growth in many water bodies, and could also occur in coastal waters. Researchers used the SeaWiFS satellite to measure the amount of chlorophyll-a, a pigment present in algae, as a way of monitoring nutrient pollution in coastal water.

How can WE Prevent Nutrient Pollution? -We can prevent Nutrient Pollution by: 1) EPA's Adopt Your Watershed The Adopt Your Watershed database includes more than 2,600 watershed groups with opportunities to get involved in activities such as volunteer water monitoring, stream cleanups, and storm drain marking. 2) Join a nationwide river cleanup event (National Rivers Cleanup) or an international beach cleanup (International Coastal Cleanup). 3) Monitor and Assessing Water Quality

Work Cited you-can-do-your-communityhttp://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecology/faq.html you-can-do-your-community