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16
Task of Mineral Nutrients in
Eutrophication
M. Naeem, Mohd. Idrees, M. Masroor A. Khan,
Moinuddin and Abid A. Ansari
M. Naeem () · M. Idrees · M. M. A. Khan
Plant Physiology Section, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim
University, Aligarh 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
e-mail: naeem_phd@yahoo.co.in
Moinuddin
Botany Section, Women’s College, Aligarh Muslim University,
Aligarh 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
e-mail: moinuddin.bt@amu.ac.in
A. A. Ansari
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science,
University of Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Eutrophication refers to natural or artificial addition of nutrients to water bodies and its effects on the aquatic life. When the effects are undesirable, eutrophication may be considered
a form of pollution. Excessive nutrient loading to lakes and rivers causes eutrophication that
has negative impacts on the biota together with rendering the water body unusable for human
beings. Expensive cleaning operations have to be undertaken if the water has to be used for
any domestic or industrial purpose. In fact improvement in the water quality of many freshwater and most coastal marine ecosystems requires reductions in both nitrogen and phosphorus inputs. Based on nutrient status and productivity, an aquatic system can be classified into
the following three types: (1) Oligotrophic: water with poor nutrient status and productivity;
(2) Mesotrophic: water with moderate nutrient status and productivity; (3) Eutrophic: water
with rich nutrient status and high productivity. Massive amount of mineral nutrients and organic matter are added in water reservoirs in the form of sewage effluents, organic wastes, agricultural runoffs, excreta, and exudates of living beings. These contain plenty of phosphates
coming in large quantities owing to the use of soaps, detergents, and water softeners. In some
eutrophic water bodies, dense population of planktonic algae develops. The phenomenon is
called water or algal blooms because of the fast growth rate of algal population. The presence
of mineral nutrients in concentrations sufficient to support the huge population of planktonic
algae is the prerequisite for the formation of algal blooms. All activities in the entire drainage
area of a lake or reservoir are reflected directly or indirectly in the water quality of these water
bodies. In many lakes and reservoirs, wastewater is the main source of nutrients since untreated wastewater or wastewater treated only by conventional methods usually contains nitrogen and phosphorus. The loading of N and P to the world’s rivers, lakes, and oceans is very
strongly influenced by human population densities, the population densities of livestock, and
land use environmental implications of N and P to the biosphere. Phosphorus removal from
wastewater is an effective approach for prevention of eutrophication in closed water systems.
The role of potassium in microorganisms responsible for biological phosphorus removal in
waste water is more important. Further studies are needed to examine how the inorganic
A. A. Ansari, S. S. Gill (eds.), Eutrophication: Causes, Consequences and Control,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7814-6_16, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014
16
Task of Mineral Nutrients in
Eutrophication
M. Naeem, Mohd. Idrees, M. Masroor A. Khan,
Moinuddin and Abid A. Ansari
M. Naeem () · M. Idrees · M. M. A. Khan
Plant Physiology Section, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim
University, Aligarh 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
e-mail: naeem_phd@yahoo.co.in
Moinuddin
Botany Section, Women’s College, Aligarh Muslim University,
Aligarh 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
e-mail: moinuddin.bt@amu.ac.in
A. A. Ansari
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science,
University of Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Eutrophication refers to natural or artificial addition of nutrients to water bodies and its effects on the aquatic life. When the effects are undesirable, eutrophication may be considered
a form of pollution. Excessive nutrient loading to lakes and rivers causes eutrophication that
has negative impacts on the biota together with rendering the water body unusable for human
beings. Expensive cleaning operations have to be undertaken if the water has to be used for
any domestic or industrial purpose. In fact improvement in the water quality of many freshwater and most coastal marine ecosystems requires reductions in both nitrogen and phosphorus inputs. Based on nutrient status and productivity, an aquatic system can be classified into
the following three types: (1) Oligotrophic: water with poor nutrient status and productivity;
(2) Mesotrophic: water with moderate nutrient status and productivity; (3) Eutrophic: water
with rich nutrient status and high productivity. Massive amount of mineral nutrients and organic matter are added in water reservoirs in the form of sewage effluents, organic wastes, agricultural runoffs, excreta, and exudates of living beings. These contain plenty of phosphates
coming in large quantities owing to the use of soaps, detergents, and water softeners. In some
eutrophic water bodies, dense population of planktonic algae develops. The phenomenon is
called water or algal blooms because of the fast growth rate of algal population. The presence
of mineral nutrients in concentrations sufficient to support the huge population of planktonic
algae is the prerequisite for the formation of algal blooms. All activities in the entire drainage
area of a lake or reservoir are reflected directly or indirectly in the water quality of these water
bodies. In many lakes and reservoirs, wastewater is the main source of nutrients since untreated wastewater or wastewater treated only by conventional methods usually contains nitrogen and phosphorus. The loading of N and P to the world’s rivers, lakes, and oceans is very
strongly influenced by human population densities, the population densities of livestock, and
land use environmental implications of N and P to the biosphere. Phosphorus removal from
wastewater is an effective approach for prevention of eutrophication in closed water systems.
The role of potassium in microorganisms responsible for biological phosphorus removal in
waste water is more important. Further studies are needed to examine how the inorganic
A. A. Ansari, S. S. Gill (eds.), Eutrophication: Causes, Consequences and Control,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7814-6_16, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014