Total Nitrogen
Total Nitrogen includes the compounds nitrate, nitrite, organic nitrogen, and ammonium. Nitrogen compounds are commonly found in fertilizers, so the presence of nitrogen in water means that fertilizer is in the water. Nitrogen is also a nutrient, which means that it is essential for the growth and maintenance of life. Because of this, completely eliminating nutrients from water would be dangerous. [43] However, a high concentration of nutrients leads to eutrophication, which is when excessive amounts of nutrients cause a large amount of plant growth. This plant growth takes oxygen out of the water, which eventually leads to plant and animal death. Total Phosphorous Total Phosphorous includes the compounds orthophosphate and organic phosphrous. Like nitrogen, phosphorous is also used in fertilizers and is also a nutrient. Phosphorous in stormwater run off also indicates a presence of treatment plant effluent (waste and sewage). |
Diagram illustrating the eutrophication process. BBC. [44]
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