Answer:
The irresponsible usage of reactive nitrogen forms in soil and water can result in multiple detrimental effects on both human health and the ecosystem.
Nitrate is an inorganic molecule consisting of one nitrogen (N) atom bonded with three oxygen atoms (O), created through the activity of microorganisms interacting with nitrogen fertilizers, plant remnants, manure, and other organic matter. While plants generally absorb nitrate, it can sometimes be leached into the groundwater and surface water bodies (such as rivers and ponds) via rain or irrigation. In rural water sources, nitrate primarily originates from nitrogen fertilizers and manure management practices.
Excess nitrogen flowing into lakes and coasts can trigger water eutrophication, which is the enrichment of water nutrients. This leads to a rapid expansion in populations of algae and cyanobacteria. The subsequent death and breakdown of these organisms cause a decrease in oxygen levels, potentially resulting in the death of fish and crustaceans. This decomposition process reduces oxygen levels further, leading to additional fatalities.
Moreover, an oversupply of nitrogen fertilizers may increase the presence of nitric and nitrous oxides in the atmosphere. Nitric oxide can contribute to acid rain while nitrous oxide engages in significantly harmful environmental processes. The interaction of nitrous oxide with O2 is a factor in ozone layer destruction in the stratosphere (the atmospheric layer that protects humans from harmful ultraviolet radiation) and intensifies the greenhouse effect (global warming). Nitrous oxide remains in the atmosphere for over a century and each molecule traps more than 200 times the heat of a single CO2 molecule, contributing to about 2-3% of global warming attributed to the greenhouse effect.
