Admin Table of Contents
Is phosphorus a pollutant in water?
Under natural conditions phosphorus (P) is typically scarce in water. Human activities, however, have resulted in excessive loading of phosphorus into many freshwater systems. This can cause water pollution by promoting excessive algae growth, particularly in lakes.
Is phosphate bad in drinking water?
Health effects: Phosphates are safe to ingest at reasonable levels. They are important complexed components of all plant and animal based foods that we consume because they are components of all cells.
What are the major contaminants of drinking water?
fluoride, arsenic, lead, copper, chromium, mercury, antimony, cyanide) that contaminate water resource. They can get into drinking water from natural sources, industrial processes, as well as from plumbing systems (EPA US 2006; Nriagu 1988). Fluoride is known to cause dental and skeletal fluorosis.
How is phosphorus harmful to the environment?
Too much phosphorus can cause increased growth of algae and large aquatic plants, which can result in decreased levels of dissolved oxygen– a process called eutrophication. High levels of phosphorus can also lead to algae blooms that produce algal toxins which can be harmful to human and animal health.
Why phosphorus can be considered a pollutant?
Excessive concentrations of phosphorus are sometimes considered a pollutant because in the aquatic ecosystem, an excess amount of phosphorus in water causes the algae to grow too fast than the ecosystem can take. Humans contribute to the excessive levels of phosphorous by their use of fertilizers and raising hogs.
What is phosphorus water?
Phosphorus is a common constituent of agricultural fertilizers, manure, and organic wastes in sewage and industrial effluent. Phosphorus from farms, sewage, and industry fertilized the waters so that huge algae blooms developed year after year.
Why is phosphorus added to water?
It is added to effectively prevent any lead entering the water supply, which can come from the corrosion of old piping. Lead is a toxic metal and adding phosphate has proven to be very successful in reducing human exposure to it.
Why is phosphorus insoluble in water?
Water is a polar solvent. Non polar molecules are soluble in nonpolar solvents only, they ate insoluble in polar solvents. Thus phosphorus being a nonpolar molecule is soluble in carbon disulphide which is a nonpolar solvent but insoluble in water which is a polar solvent.
How much phosphate is in tap water?
The water running through the system came from the local drinking water supply, this water is treated with chlorine and has an average phosphate concentration of 1 mg/L.