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Phosphorus in the Environment

Phosphorus in the Environment. Presented By: Marjana Rudberg and Natalie Kautz. Organic Bound to plant or animal tissue Broken down from organic pesticides. Inorganic Non-organic phosphorus Two types: Orthophosphate: “reactive phosphate” Polyphosphate: decomposes to orthophosphate.

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Phosphorus in the Environment

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  1. Phosphorus in the Environment Presented By: Marjana Rudberg and Natalie Kautz

  2. Organic Bound to plant or animal tissue Broken down from organic pesticides Inorganic Non-organic phosphorus Two types: Orthophosphate: “reactive phosphate” Polyphosphate: decomposes to orthophosphate Phosphorus

  3. Sources of Phosphates • Fertilizer Runoff • Sewage and Industrial Waste • Car Emissions • Household Cleaners and Products • Runoff From Garbage Dumps

  4. Entry Into The Environment

  5. Air: Relatively harmless oxygen compounds formed within minutes Soil: Less harmful compounds formed within a few days With little oxygen, remains unchanged in deep soil for years Water: Oxygen: relatively harmless compounds in hours or days Low oxygen levels: degrades to highly toxic substance phosphine Later evaporates and changed to less harmful compounds Lifetime In Environment

  6. Eutrophication • Lake has an overload of nutrients • Choke out other species -Algea Blooms * Keep out sunlight * Die use up oxygen

  7. Phosphorous in Lake Erie • Declared dead in 1960s • Reduction of Phosphorous by 50% • The West is stable and on target but Central and East are not.

  8. Phosphorous in Lake Erie • Zebra Mussels found in North America in 1988 • Mussels eat plankton and make the water cleaner • Reduction of desired fish • Fear that Increasing the phosphorous levels will increase zebra mussel population not the fish • Also Fear that increasing the phosphorous levels will also increase the algae along the shore line

  9. Factors Water Movement/Flow Light Temperature Nitrogen Levels Algae and Plankton Growth General Guidelines Rivers and Streams 10-100 μg/L Lakes 5-50 μg/L Control Standards

  10. Most common detection through spectrometry Biological Treatment: Phosphate intake by sludge microorganisms Chemical Treatment: Metal Salts Aluminum Sulfate Ferric Chloride Detection and Treatment

  11. Control Methods • Decrease soil erosion • Reduce water runoff from fields • Use organic fertilizers • Proper farming techniques

  12. References • ATSDR Homepage. <http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts103.html>. (accessed 12/7/04). • EPA Homepage. <http://www.epa.gov>. • <http://lakes.chebucto.org.> • FOCA Homepage.<http://www.foca.on.ca/Infobase/ Environment/Phosphorus/Effects.htm>. (accessed 12/7/04).

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