Eutrophication

What is eutrophication?
A process whereby water bodies receive
excessive amounts of nutrients, which
results in excessive plant growth (aka
algal bloom) (1)
Anthropogenic eutrophication the
pollution that humans cause with the
release of sewage effluent and fertilizers
into natural waters. (2)
 What does eutrophication cause?
Reduced oxygen concentration (hypoxic
water) by the decomposition of dead plant
materials (1)
This can result in the death of other
organisms (1)
http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/01590/pollution/culturaleutroph.jpg
 Algal Bloom (3)

Algal/marine/water bloom=rapid increase

in the population of algae in an aquatic
system green, yellowish-brown or red
In fresh water and marine environment
Caused by excessive nutrients (P and N
mainly)
 So what? (3)
The more algae grow, the more other
organisms die.
Bacteria feed on the dead organic matter.
Thus, bacteria increase in number.
More oxygen dissolved in water used
Fish and aquatic insects die
 And then? (3)
Neurotoxins
Biological impact on
wildlife
HABs Harmful Algal
Blooms (toxins produced
by phytoplankton)
Accumulations of foams,
http://www.macalester.edu/environmentalstudies/thr
scums, and discoloration eerivers/studentprojects/ENVI_133_Spr_08/Phosph
orus/eutrophication.gif

of the water (4)

http://www.seos-project.eu/modules/oceancolour/images/algal-bloom-warning-sign.jpg
 Species diversity Problems (9, 10)
decreases
Dominant biota changes
Competition for resources,
predator pressure
Turbidity increases less
transparency
Rate of sedimentation
increases
High chemical or physical
stress
Algal blooms http://www.jamstec.go.jp/jamstec-
e/tech/tech_3g/rtdeadfish.jpg
http://sevenhillslake.com/CulturalEutrophication.jpg
 Water - injurious to health, decline in value
Disturbance in water flow and navigation
Commercially important species of fish
may disappear
Problems with drinking water, bad taste or
odor after treatment (10)
Blue baby syndrome
(methemoglobinemia) - nitrate levels
above 10 mg/l in drinking water, may be
life-threatening (8)
 http://www3.aims.gov.au/ibm/pages/news/images/figure1-bc.jpg

http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=171951

http://medicalimages.allrefer.com/large/shaken-baby-symptoms.jpg
 Prevention (5, 6)
Reduce the input of nutrients into the water
basins (for example, Baltic Sea)
Fertilization balance
Reduction in P and N load
Monitoring to predict eutrophication
Hydrodynamics of the water body especially
information about nutrients
Precision agriculture accurate irrigation
Sewage treatment removal of nutrients
Prevention of erosion of soil
Unfertilized buffer zones near water bodies
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 How to deal with the effects (5)
Algaecides - copper sulphate, chlorine,
citrate copper; kill algal and cyanobacterial
cells
Filtration micro-, ultra-, nano-
Coagulation-clarification
Activated carbon adsorption
Oxidation
Disinfection with chlorine
 Examples of Eutrophication (7)
The Baltic Sea
In the Baltic Sea, all the areas
are affected by eutrophication
Number of phytoplankton
increases (especially
cyanobacteria)
This bacterium has increased,
because of the increase in
nutrient concentrations and
due to the changes in the
seasonal availability and large
nutrient proportions
Cyanobacteria bloom
(Nodularia spumigena) in the http://www.eutro.org/documents/EEA%20Top
ic_Report_7_2001.pdf
western Baltic
 The Baltic Sea (6)
Since harmful and toxic species are parts of the
phytoplankton, the blooms of harmful algae have also
increased
Blooms - caused losses to fish farming, deaths of fish, sea
birds, dogs and cattle, and some damage to human health
Source of eutrophication in this area increase in
phytoplankton, consisting of many harmful bacteria causing
damage to the environment
Impacts include:
reductions in biodiversity
reductions in the natural resources of dermersal fish and
shellfish
reduced income from maricultures of fish and shellfish
reduced recreational value and income from tourism
increased risk of poisoning of animals including humans by
algal toxins
http://www.rahulbasu.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/baltic_sea_map.png
 Solutions (6)
The Baltic Sea states and the North Sea states -
decided to aim at a 50 % reduction of the N and
P load from land compared to the level in the
middle of the 1980s.
It is expected that the directives and especially
the recently decided water framework Directive
(the urban wastewater treatment directive,
2000/60/EC) will reduce the nutrient loads to the
European coastal areas and the eutrophication
impacts to an acceptable level.
 Mediterranean Sea (7)
Mediterranean surface
waters in the open sea are
classified among the poorest
in nutrients (oligotrophic) of
the world oceans
Mediterranean coastal zone -
important for human
activities like habitation,
industry, agriculture,
fisheries, military facilities,
and tourist resorts
Most of these activities
contribute to coastal http://www.iasonnet.gr/abstracts/fig_kar1.jpeg
eutrophication in the Eastern
Mediterranean
 Works Cited
"Algal bloom." Science Daily. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June 2010.
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/algal_bloom.htm>. (3)
"Algal Blooms in Fresh Water." Water Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June 2010.
<http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/A-Bi/Algal-Blooms-in-Fresh-
Water.html#ixzz0qB5cw2ci>. (4)
"Eutrophicatio and Health." European Commission. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 June 2010.
<http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-nitrates/pdf/eutrophication.pdf>. (5)
"Eutrophication." Guide to Water Pollution. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 June 2010. <http://www.water-
pollution.org.uk/eutrophication.html>. (7)
"Eutrophication." USGS. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June 2010. <
http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/eutrophication.html>. (1)
"Eutrophication." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June 2010.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication>. (2)
"Eutrophication in Europes coastal waters." ASSETS. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 June 2010.
<http://www.eutro.org/documents/EEA%20Topic_Report_7_2001.pdf>. (6)
"General effects of eutrophication." Water Treatment and Purification - Lenntech. N.p., n.d.
Web. 6 June 2010. <http://www.lenntech.com/eutrophication-water-
bodies/eutrophication-effects.htm>. (10)
"Problem: Eutrophication ." Wingolog. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 June 2010.
<http://wingolog.org/writings/water/html/node27.html>. (9)
"Why Is Eutrophication Such a Serious Pollution Problem?" IETC. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June
2010. <http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/ short_series/lakereservoirs-3/1.asp>.
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