WATER POLLUTION BY NUTRIENT DISCHARGE Eutrophication of lake Eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs is defined as the process of aging of water

body in which the water becomes organically rich leading to unnatural proliferation ( increasing in no) of macrophytes (large water plants), algae & cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, transformation to marsh land and eventually to dry lands. The process of eutrophication is propelled by increasing concentration of Nutrients (N, P) necessary for biological activities. Classification of water body Any water body into its entire life span has to go through certain no of stages. At the very initial stage when the Nutrient level in the water body is minimal there is no such significant biological activity, in the water column / body that can support sedimentation. This stage of the water body is termed as Oligotropic condition & accordingly the lake is termed as Oligotropic lake. An Oligotropic lake is characterized by healthy condition with very small counts of organisms, but of different species. In this type of lake high do level is maintained throughout the year & water can be safely used for drinking purpose. With the progress of time nutrient level in the water body gradually builds up and when its concentration is not objectionable from biological activity point of view but above respective Oligotropic conditions the lake is called Mesotrophic lakes. The water can be safely used purposes other than drinking e.g. propagation of aquatic life, recreation purpose, and industrial & irrigation purpose. In the next stage of the life cycle, when the lake is characterized by murky (turbid) water with an accelerated rate of sedimentation with micro organism, it is called Eutrophic lake. An Eutrophic lake is characterized by following i) High Nutrient levels. ii) High TDS Levels. iii) Large population of aquatic plants and weeds. iv) Very low biodiversity. v) Different species from non Eutrophic condition. vi) Low overall DO level. vii) Large difference between day & night time DO level. viii) Higher Turbidity & overall poor quality of water. The final stage of the life cycle of a water body is marsh land or swamp before it is converted to dry land. The life cycle depicted so far is a very slow process spanning over 100 to 1000 of years, when it is influenced solely by natural phenomenon. Anthropogenic activities; however can encourage the production of nutrients & can shorten the eutrophication of cycle. Such nutrient enrichment of lake & reservoir arising from pollution associated with population growth, intensified agriculture can cause accelerated fertilization leading to excessive algal growth. This phenomenon is called cultural eutrophication. Algal bloom tends to occur when the concentration of inorganic nitrogen & phosphorus exceed 0.3 mg/l & 0.01 mg/l respectively. The major aquatic plant nutrients are orthophosphate (PO43-), Inorganic N2 (NH3 Nitrogen & NO3 Nitrogen) where as the trace nutrients are mostly in form of Fe, Si &

Eutrophication Class Notes 1

few organic matters. In majority of lakes appears to be limiting factor controlling aquatic plant growth. The sources of N2 & P4 can be broadly classified (i) Natural sources & (ii) Anthropogenic sources. Some common natural sources are runoff from fertile land, lake sediments, rainfall & geological strata condition phosphate rock. The Anthropogenic sources are discharges from industries like fertilizer plants, food processing unit & slaughter house, agricultural run-off containing fertilizer residues & domestic wastes containing food waste, synthetic detergent & human excretion.

Eutrophication Class Notes 2