Faridpur Engineering College

Course title : Environemental Engineering ⅰⅴ

Course code: CE 811
Credit: 2.00

Course teacher
Md. Irfan Habib
Lecturer
Dept. of Civil Engineering
Course Syllabus
Environmental pollution and its control, Water pollution-
sources and types of pollutants; waste assimilation capacity of
streams, dissolved oxygen modelling, ecological balance of
streams, industrial pollution, heavy metal contamination,
detergent pollution, ground water pollution, marine pollution,
air pollution, air pollution monitoring and control, global
warming and green house effect.
Define Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These
harmful materials are called pollutants. Pollutants can be natural, such
as volcanic ash. They can also be created by human activity, such as trash
or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and
land.
 Water pollution

What is water pollution?

Any physical, chemical or biological change in water quality that
adversely affects living organism or makes water unsuitable for
certain use is referred to as water pollution.
Sources of water pollution:
Two chief sources of water pollution is
Point source pollution
Non point source pollution
Point source pollution
Point source pollution is defined as any single identifiable source of
pollution from which pollutants are discharged. Point source pollution
sources are identifiable, hence it is easy to monitor and regulate
Example: Industrial waste, Municipal sewage etc.

Non point source pollution

When a source of pollution can not be readily identified i.e sources are
scattered or diffused are called non point source of pollution.
Example: Runoff from farm lands, Construction sites, animal waste etc
Another sources of water pollution

• Water & sewage company work.

• Petroleum industry.
• Acid rain.
• Radio active materials.
• Aquatic plants
• Industrial waste
• Solid waste
Describe the causes of water pollution:
• Biochemical Oxygen Demand(BOD): BOD is often indication of the presence
of sewage and other organic waste. High level of BOD can deplete the oxygen
in water.
• Nutrients: Nutrient acquires more suspicious face at high concentration.
Synthetic fertilizers are composed of nutrients. Nutrients are also discharged
as organic matter.
• Suspended solids: Suspended solids are physical pollutants. This can stunt the
growth of the aquatic plants by limiting the amount of sunlight.
• Oil & Grease: Oil spills are a major problem in near coastal water and can kill
or adversely affect fish, other aquatic organism and birds and mammals.
• Bacteria, Virus & protozoa: These micro organisms are naturally found in
water and else where in the environment and can cause infection. The
problem associated with micro organism is infectious diseases.
Discuss the effect of water pollution
• Effect on human being: On consuming polluted water following effects are observed
on human being
Skin cancer
Cholera
Typhoid fever
Damage of nervous system
Birth defects
Hepatitis
Malaria
Genetic mutation
• Effects on plants and animals:
Disturbed & unbalanced the eco system
Lower crop yields
Harmful to aquatic life and wild life
Excess growth of algae can kill aquatic life
Reduce photosynthesis
Disrupts food chain and food web
Discuss the control measures for preventing water pollution
• Setting up effluent treatment plants to treat waste
• Recycling of water
• Treatment of industrial waste before discharge
• Developing economical method of water treatment
• Strict enforcement of water pollution control act
• River, stream, lakes and other reservoirs must be well protected from being
polluted
• Public awareness
• Regular monitoring and regulating the source of water pollution
 Air pollution
What is air pollution?
Air pollution can be defined as the presence of one or more contaminants like
dust, mist, smoke, odour etc in excess quantities that causes injurious to
human beings, plants, animals and properties.
Composition of Air
Constituent % by volume
Nitrogen 78.10

Oxygen 20.90

Carbon dioxide 0.04

Water vapour, ozone,
argon, krypton, carbon 0.96
monoxide etc.
Importance of Air
For physiological requirements of an adult man
• 14 kg of air
• 1.5 kg of food
• 2 kg of water
People can survive without
• food for 5 weeks
• water for 5 days
• air for few munities only
Technical Definition / Short Notes
• Aerosols: An aerosol is a particle of solid or liquid matter of such
minute size that it can remain suspended in the atmosphere for a long
period of time.
Liquid particles: spherical in shape
 Solid particles: spheres, filaments and various irregular shape
• Smoke: The vaporous matter, with suspended particles of carbon,
arising from something burning, is known as the smoke.
Particle size: less than 1 μ
Tobacco smoke: 0.25 μ
Fog: The visible moisture in the atmosphere is known as fog. Mass of
smoke, dust etc.
Haze: A thin vapour of fog, smoke, dust, etc. in the air is known as the
Haze.
Mist: A cloud of dust, gas, etc. or a large mass of water vapour like a
light fog is known as the mist.
Describe the sources of air pollution:
The main sources of air pollution can be
Natural sources
Artificial sources
Natural sources: Following are the natural sources contributing to air pollution
a) Atmospheric reaction: In the lower atmosphere, the natural chemical reactions lead to the
conversion of gases and vapour into solids and liquid products by oxidation , condensation
or polymerisation.
b) Dust and aerosols: The dust and aerosols of natural origin which are present in the
atmosphere consists of salt particles from sea water, air borne particles from soil and
vegetation.
c) Micro organism: This consists of viable particles in the form of algae, fungi, bacteria etc.
d) Pollens: They enter the atmosphere from trees, grasses and weeds. They are transported
from one place to another by wind currents.
e) Radio active minerals: The radio activity of the atmosphere is influenced by the radio-
active minerals, the action of cosmic rays etc

Artificial sources:Following are the natural sources contributing to air pollution

a) Combustion of fuels: The burning of fuels like oil, coal etc leads to the
formation of undesirable gases.
b) Industries: Some of the industrial activity like non-ferrous metal smelting
and refining, iron manufacturing, oil refining etc
c) Thermal power house: Thermal power plants are main contribution of SO2
emissions.
d) Vehicle pollutions: The exhaust from the automobiles contains dangerous
gas namely CO.
Primary & Secondary Air Pollutants

• Primary Air Pollutants: Primary air pollutants are those air pollutants which are
directly emitted from an identifiable source, such as
i. Suspended particulate matter
ii. Oxides of nitrogen
iii. Compounds of Sulphur
iv. Carbon monoxide
v. Halogen compounds
vi. Radioactive compounds
vii. Organic compounds
• Secondary Air Pollutants: Secondary air pollutants are those which are
produced in the air by the interaction of two or more primary air pollutant or
by reaction with normal atmospheric constituents with or without
photoactivation. Example of secondary air pollutants are:
i. Ozone
ii. Formal dehydes
iii. Peroxy acetyls nitrate(PAN)
iv. Photochemical smog
v. Acid rain
Briefly describe the effects of air pollution
Followings are the effects of air pollution:
Effect on certain materials: Air pollution affect the certain material in following
ways-
1. Abrasion
2. Corrosion
3. Deposition & Removal
4. Direct chemical attack
5. Indirect chemical attack
Effect on human health: The inhalation of undesirable gases from the
atmosphere causes injurious effect on human health such as-
1. Eye irritation
2. Nose & throat irritation
3. Irritation of the respiratory tract.
4. Gases like hydrogen sulphide, ammonia causes odour nuisance even at low
concentration.
5. Increase in mortality rate .
6. A variety of particulates particularly pollens, initiate asthmatic attacks.
7. Chronic pulmonary diseases like asthma is aggravated by a high concentration
of SO2, NO2, particulate matter and photochemical smog.
8. CO combines with hemoglobin in the blood and consequently increases stress
on these suffering from cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
9. Dust particles causes respiratory diseases. Diseases like silicosis, asbestosis
etc result from specific dusts.
10. Certain heavy metals like lead may enter the body through the lungs and
caus.es poisoning.
Effect on physical features of the atmosphere:
1. weather condition is changed due to smoke, fog, dust etc .
2. solar radiation is reduced to the extent of about 30% or so.
3. composition of normal air is disturbed.
Effect of air pollution on vegetation:
1. Sulphur dioxide
2. Fluoride compounds
3. Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
4. Orone
5. Chlorine
6. Ammonia
7. Hydrogen chloride
8. Hydrogen sulphide
9. PAN (Peroxy Acetyl Nitrate)
10. Smog
Generally sulphur dioxide (S02) produces two types of injury on the leaves of
the plants- 1)acute and 2)chronic depending upon concentration and period of
exposure.
A mild dose of S02 may cause interveinal chlorotic bleaching of leaves
resulting in change of color of leaves.
Mild dose of ozone results in flecks on upper surfaces of leaves, premature
aging and suppressed growth, while severe dose of ozone may result in collapse
of leaf and bleaching.
Similarly mild dose of NO, effects bleaching and suppressed growth of leaf.
Effect of PAN is bronzing of leaf surface and suppressed growth.
 Green-house Effect
The term green-house is used to mean a building made mainly of glass
with heat and humidity regulated for growing plants.
The green house effect is a natural process that warms the earth’s surface. When the Sun
energy reaches to the earth’s atmosphere some of it reflected into the space and some of
absorbed by the green house gas(N02, C02, 03, CH4, S02, N0). The absorbed energy
warms the atmosphere and the surface of the earth.
Green house gas:
• Carbon dioxide (Co2 ): Most abundant gas.
•Nitrous oxide (N2o): Biogenic gas emitted by deforestation, biomass burning,
nitrogenous fertilizers and fossil fuel combustion.
•Methane (CH4 ): Anaerobic decomposition in biological systems, biomass
burning, land fills and wet lands.
• other gases- ozone (o3 ), nitrogen oxide (No), sulphur dioxide (S o2 ): fossil
fuel burning and manufacturing processes of chemicals.
Green-house effect:
• ocean gets warmed up by the rise in temperature, sea level would rise
flooding low-lying regions.
• In temperature regions, winter will be shorter and warmer and the summer
will be longer and hotter.
• Plants and animals will be affected and ecosystem will be Unbalanced.
• increase in rainfall to the extent of about 10%.
• Tropics may become wetter and the sub-tropics may become more drier.
• Plants will grow bigger with the increase in carbon-dioxide in the air.
Solution to minimize green-house effect:
• reduction of fossil fuels combustion.
• rely on renewable source of energy like bio-gas, nuclear, solar and wind.
• dispose the green-house gases elsewhere than in the atmosphere.
• learn to adopt and accept the changing climate.
 Ozone layer
An ozone layer is present in the atmosphere upto a distance of about 60 km with
concentration of the order of 1 in 10000 upto 20 to 25 km.
• It acts as an umbrella against the harmful ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth
•Entire quantity of ozone would form a layer of 3 mm
Effects of Ozone on Human Health
Ozone level in p. p. m Observed effects
0.20 No ill effects
0.30 Nose and throat irritation
1 to 3 Extreme fatigue after two hours
9 Severe trouble with lungs

 One molecule of CFC destroy thousand molecule of Ozone. Only 1% reduction

in ozone layer increase the risk of skin cancer 6%
Adverse Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation

• Damage of immune system.

• Disturbance in eco-system.
• Effect on crop yield especially that of timber.
• Increase of skin cancer and eye ailments.
•Shorter life of paints and plastics.
 Industrial Pollution
Industrial pollution is a term that refers to the contamination of the environment
by industrial activities such as manufacturing, mining, and transportation.
Industrial pollution can have a negative impact on the environment and human
health.
Coal combustion, the combustion of fossil fuels such as petroleum, oil, natural
gas, and chemical solvents used in the tanning and dyeing industries are the
primary drivers of industrial pollution.
Classification of Industrial Waste
The industries use raw materials, process them, produce finished products, and
some by-products are thrown into the environment as industrial wastes in gas,
liquid or solid, thus polluting the air-water or soil.
Industrial wastes may be classified as:
a) Biodegradable.
b) Nonbiodegradable.
• Biodegradable wastes are generated by textile factories, food processing units,
paper mills, and cotton mills.
• Non-biodegradable wastes are generated by thermal power plants, iron and steel
plants, and fertilizer industries, posing a severe threat to humankind.

Types of Industrial Pollution

Water Pollution- Industrial wastewaters contain a variety of organic and
inorganic residues. They heavily pollute all rivers and water bodies. The
discharge of toxic industrial wastes contains poisonous chemicals such as
cyanide, cadmium, mercury, lead, arsenic, and chromium, which are highly
poisonous. They make river water unfit for the use of humans, aquatic plants and
animals. Colour producing dyes change the colour of water and decrease the
oxygen level, thereby affecting aquatic life. In addition, acids and alkalis rapidly
change water pH, affecting fish and other marine life.
Soil Pollution- The rapid growth of industries has resulted in the release of many
industrial wastes containing toxic acid disastrous chemicals that are usually non-
biodegradable. Solid waste from industries is dumped temporarily overland.
During rains, heavy metals and toxic chemicals wash down into the soil and
pollute the same. It is mainly discharged from Pulp and Paper Mills, oil refineries,
sugar factories, glass industries, drugs, etc. Industrial waste affects and alters
soil’s chemical and biological characteristics, which finally enter the food chain,
disturb the biochemical processes and eventually induce serious hazards to living
organisms.

Air Pollution- Many industries like chemical plants, steel, fertilizers, sugar and
cement manufacturing units emit a large amount of smoke and pollutants like
oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, lead particles and chlorofluorocarbons pollute the
air. For example, the emissions from the oil refinery at Mathura and the numerous
coal-burning Industries at Agra contain sulphur dioxide, which causes acid rain.
In addition, many industries produce chemicals, some of which escape into the
atmosphere causing air pollution.
Noise Pollution– Industrial activities can cause noise pollution. Some familiar
sources of noise pollution are road traffic, aircraft, trains, construction sites,
factories, electronic and electrical equipment, and the bursting of firecrackers.
Causes of Industrial Pollution
• Unplanned Industrial Growth- In most countries, industrial development
and urbanization have progressed unexpectedly. It is responsible for all types
of pollution.
• Use of Outdated Technology- Many industrial units are slow to adopt new
technology to address pollution.
• Use of water for Industrial Processes- Most of the industry units required a
large amount of water. Water used in different production processes comes
into contact with harmful chemicals, heavy metals, biological waste, etc.;
after use, the water is dumped into water bodies causing water
contamination.
• Poor Implementation of Policies and Laws- Many developing countries do
not have effective environmental policies and laws.
• Inefficient waste Disposal System- With unplanned and rapid industrial
development, all countries generate industrial waste quickly. All countries face
the challenge of effectively disposing of industrial waste, including e-waste,
which contains toxic material.
• Absence of Nation-Wide Pollution Tax- There is no nationwide pollution tax
imposed in all the countries. So, industrial pollution is very high.
Effects of Industrial Pollution
• Effect on Human Health- Industrial pollution has been responsible for the
contamination of water, air and the natural environment. Moreover, it has
affected the health of the people. Industrial toxic waste is responsible for
diseases like cancer, lung infection, asthma, etc.
• Low Agricultural Productivity- The toxic materials dumped by the industrial
units cause soil and groundwater contamination. It affects the fertility of the soil.
In addition, the consumption of contaminated crops causes health problems.
• Global Warming- Global warming leads to rising water levels due to the
melting of glaciers, a constant threat of natural disasters like tsunamis, and
several Storms. Moreover, due to global warming, many animals and fishes are
getting extinct.
• Effect of Wildlife- Industrial pollution and industrial activities have led to the
destruction of animals’ natural habitats. As a result, many wildlife species face
extinction due to these factors.
• Depletion of Green cover and Biodiversity- The green cover helps balance
temperature. Therefore, it is essential to protect areas and human health
affected by rising temperatures due to global warming. Unfortunately,
unregulated industrial activities have been responsible for the loss of green
cover.
1. Industrial wastes discharged into water bodies contain many toxic substances that make
water unfit for drinking and bathing. Pollution of moisture also reduces the number of
aquatic plants and animals due to the destruction of their habitat and nesting places.
2. The wastewater released by factories and industries is rich in organic matter. The
wastewater is rich in nutrients resulting in a thick growth of algae and many other weeds
like ragweed, skunk, buckthorn, and horsemint, and these plants cover the entire surface
of the water. The algae use so much oxygen; hence the aquatic animals and other plants
die due to its lack.
3. When industries release mercury, it contaminates with water, and it’s used for drinking
by human beings and animals; it causes numbness of lips, tongue and limbs. Also, it leads
to blurred vision and mental disorders.
Control of Industrial pollution
To inspect the air pollution by industrial plants, and chimney wastes, several
measures are adopted to remove particulate matter and gaseous pollutants from
the scraps. The most common equipment used for removal is cyclone collectors,
electrostatic precipitators, bag filters and scrubbers.
• Cyclone Collectors- Removing particulates through vortex separation without
filters from the liquid stream, gas or air is called Cyclonic separation. Cyclone
collectors are instruments used to trap the particles like dust produced by wood
and cement factories, etc.
• Electrostatic Precipitators- These are working on charging the dust by the
applications of high voltage electricity. The particles settle down finally. These
are safe and simple to operate.
• Bag Filters- It consists of filter bags made up of bag materials like cotton,
glass wool, Teflon, ceramic fibre or polyester, etc., the dust-laden gas passed
through it. As a result, the dust gets filtered, and clean air escapes out. The dust
collected is removed by shaking the bag periodically.
• Scrubbers- Scrubbers can remove the harmful gas released by different
factories by spraying cool water in a scrubber device. The gaseous pollutants
observe inappropriate liquid to bring the pollutants from gaseous to liquid or
solid-state—the different types of scrubbers used at spray type, Venturi
scrubbers, impingement scrubbers, etc.
• The pollution due to industries may be eliminated by the use of electricity in
place of coal fuel. Furthermore, the extent of air pollution can be reduced by the
self-cleaning process of air. Moreover, it can increase vegetation in the nearby
locality and provide Green Belt between residential and industrial areas.
 Groundwater Pollution
Groundwater pollution occurs as a result of the release of pollutants into the
ground into natural underground water reservoirs known as aquifers. Once
the pollutants released find their way into groundwater, they cause
contamination. It is a type of water pollution that is mainly caused by the
release of substances either intentionally or accidentally through
anthropogenic activities or natural causes.

The pollutants usually move within aquifers depending on biological,

physical, and chemical properties. Processes such as diffusion, dispersion,
adsorption, and the speed of moving water often facilitate the movement. But
in general, the movement of the contaminants within an aquifer is usually
slow and, as such, their concentration tends to be high and in a form called a
plume.
Causes of Groundwater Pollution
• 1. Natural Sources
Naturally occurring substances found in the soil and rocks can be dissolved in water,
causing contamination. These substances are sulfates, iron, radionuclides, fluorides,
manganese, chlorides, and arsenic. Others, such as the decaying materials in the soil,
may seep into underground water and move with it as particles.
• 2. Septic Systems
Across the world, septic systems are the main cause of pollution of underground
water. The pollutants are outflow from privies, septic tanks, and
cesspools. Additionally, improperly designed and leaking septic systems release
contaminants such as nitrates, oils, bacteria, chemicals, detergents, and viruses
into underground water. Commercial septic tanks pose an even bigger threat
because they release organic chemicals such as trichloroethane. Laws in most
countries require the septic tank to be constructed far from the water sources to
prevent contamination but at times this is not usually the case.
• 3. Hazardous Waste Disposal
Hazardous wastes such as photographic chemicals, motor oil, cooking oil, paint thinners,
medicines, swimming pool chemicals, paints, and garden chemicals should not be disposed of
into septic tanks or directly into the environment as they cause serious contamination. These
chemicals should be disposed of with the help of a licensed hazardous waste handler.
• 4. Petroleum Products
Petroleum storage tanks are either located underground or above ground. Also, the
transportation of petroleum products is mainly done underground using pipelines. Leakages
from these substances can lead to contamination of water.
• 5. Solid Waste
The Palmer Developmental Group estimated that in developing countries, approximately 0.3 to
0.6 kg/person/day of waste is released into the ground. On the other hand, in developed
countries, 0.7 to 1.8 kg/person/day is released. The chemicals from these substances are
leached into the groundwater through precipitation and surface runoff. The waste can also be
collected and taken to landfills. If the landfills lack a clay liner and leachate, the chemicals
from the wastes will leach and pose a threat to the groundwater.
• 6. Surface impoundments
These are shallow lagoons used to store liquid waste, which can pose a threat to
groundwater. Therefore, the impoundments are required to have clay liners or
leachates to prevent leaching. In some cases, the leachates may be defective and
leakages may occur, leading to contamination of water.
• 7. Agricultural Chemicals
Millions of tons of agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides are
used worldwide to increase crop production. Other institutions, such as the Golf
Courses, also use these chemicals. Excessive use of these chemicals can lead
to contamination of groundwater. Chemicals such as pesticides are known to
remain in the ground for years, and when diluted with the rainwater they seep
deeper into the groundwater.
• 8. Injection wells
They have various uses, ranging from collection of stormwater to disposal of
industrial and commercial effluents. When not properly regulated, hazardous
chemicals can be disposed of in injection wells. For this reason, if they are not
properly located, regulated, and designed; they can cause contamination of
groundwater.
• 9. Other causes
Other causes of ground pollution are abandoned wells, which can act as a
pathway for contaminants to reach the aquifers. Also, poorly constructed wells
that may lack proper casing and covers may cause groundwater contamination
when pollutants find their way into such wells.
Another cause of pollution is mining activities, where, through precipitation, the
soluble minerals can be leached from the sites into the groundwater.
Effects of Groundwater Pollution
• 1. Health Issues
Contaminated groundwater has detrimental effects on human health. In areas
where septic tank installation is not set up correctly, human waste may
contaminate the water source. The waste may contain hepatitis-causing bacteria
that may lead to irreversible damage to the liver. Also, it may cause dysentery,
which leads to severe diarrhea, dehydration, and, in some cases, death.
Additional health problems include poisoning that may be a result of the use of
excessive pesticides and fertilizers or natural chemicals. The chemicals leach
into water sources and poison them. Drinking water from such a source may
lead to serious health effects.
• 2. Affects economic growth
Contamination of groundwater sources renders the area incapable of sustaining
plant, human, and animal life. The population in the area reduces and the land
value depreciates. Another effect is that it leads to less stability in industries
relying on groundwater to produce their goods.
Therefore, the industries in the affected areas will have to outsource water from
other regions, which may turn out to be expensive. In addition, they may be
forced to close down due to the poor quality of water.
Solutions of Groundwater Pollution
• 1. Legislation
There are federal laws in most countries that help protect the quality of
groundwater. Safe Drinking and Clean Water regulations should ensure the
protection of drinking water by establishing measures for it to meet health
standards.
• 2. The use of water cleaning systems
Point-of-use treatment systems should be installed in outlets that dispense water
for human consumption. The techniques used include chemical disinfection,
boiling, solar distillation, filtration, ozone water disinfection, activated charcoal
absorption, and ultraviolet disinfection.
Groundwater Remediation is also another management technique. The biological
treatment techniques employed are bioaugmentation, bioslurping, bioventing,
phytoremediation, and biosparging. Chemical techniques such as ion exchange,
ozone gas injection, membrane separation, and chemical precipitation can also be
used.
3. Proper management of the sources of pollution
The landfills should be designed with proper clay and leachate. The maintenance
should be done regularly. The location of the landfill should also be far from
groundwater areas. Further, any hazardous waste should not be dumped in the
landfill unless it is designed for that purpose. In constructing and managing
underground storage tanks, it is important to comply with the set regulations and
policies to avoid contamination or even lawsuits. A containment device that acts
as a leak back-up should be put in place and any unused underground tanks
should be removed.
4. Recycling
Most landfills in various countries have a recycling plant nearby. Therefore, used
petroleum products should be taken to such places. Apart from oil, other
recyclable materials such as plastic, bottles, and paper waste can also be taken to
recycling plants. The state should provide designated recycling pick-up areas in
places that they are not yet established. Together with other environmental
organizations, the state can mobilize people to participate in the recycling
initiative. They can do this by holding awareness campaigns and educating
communities on the importance of recycling.
 Eutrophication
Eutrophication is the process by which an entire body of water, or parts of it,
becomes progressively enriched with minerals and nutrients,
particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. It has also been defined as "nutrient-induced
increase in phytoplankton productivity“.
Process of Eutrophication
1. Excess nutrients are applied to the soil.
2. Some nutrients leach into the soil and later drain into surface water.
3. Some nutrients run off over the ground into the body of water.
4. The excess nutrients cause an algal bloom.
5. The algal bloom reduces light penetration.
6. The plants beneath the algal bloom die because they cannot get sunlight to
perform photosynthesis.
7. Eventually, the algal bloom dies and sinks to the bottom of the lake. Bacterial
communities begin to decompose the remains, using up oxygen for respiration.
8. The decomposition causes the water to become depleted of oxygen if the water
body is not regularly mixed vertically. Larger life forms, such as fish die.
Impact of Eutrophication
1.A significant effect of eutrophication is the economic impact. Algal scums
increase the costs of water treatment to avoid the taste, odour, and cyanotoxin
problems in the treated water. Also, excessive blooms can clog filters and
increase the maintenance costs of machines. After significant eutrophication has
occurred, the costs of corrective action can be colossal. Macrophytes may need
to be sprayed or controlled using other biological or expensive treatments. Hence
limited resources that could have been channelled into other developmental
projects to improve the lives of people would have to be used to control this
phenomenon.
2.Another critical concern is the impact of eutrophication on biodiversity.
Macrophytic infestations inhibit or prevent the growth of other aquatic plants.
Similarly, algal blooms and cyanobacteria consist of species that have
outperformed other species in terms of the nutrition and available light. In
general, this reduces the ecological integrity of an ecosystem, and only the more
tolerant species can survive. Humans, domestic and wild animal health risks
cannot be overlooked. Acute exposure to high doses can cause death due to liver
haemorrhage or liver failure. Once people are sick, they cannot be productive in
their daily activities.
3.Recreational activities are also affected by this phenomenon. The presence of
large macrophytic areas can inhibit and prevent access to waterways. This
decreases the capability for the use of water for water sports such as yachting and
fishing. The presence of unsightly and smelling scums also makes any
recreational use of the water body unpleasant.
Types of Eutrophication
• Natural Eutrophication
Over centuries, gradual buildup of nutrients, sediments and organic material
begin to fill many lake basins. As the lakes become more eutrophic, they are able
to support more living organisms, including damaging algae, as a result of higher
nutrient levels. At the same time, their littoral area increases as a result of
sedimentary buildup. Eventually, this process not only affects the water quality
but allows colonization by terrestrial vegetation in the expanding shallows. The
length of this process depends on the characteristics of the lake basin, the
watershed and the climate.
• Cultural Eutrophication
The alteration of nutrient input to water basins by human activity can
dramatically increase eutrophication, leading to major ecological
changes in decades, rather than centuries. Cultural eutrophication is
primarily associated with phosphorus, which is found in fertilizers and
partially treated sewage. Phosphorus has been found to be one of the
strongest stimulators of algae growth. One of the primary sources of
man-caused sedimentary eutrophication is soil erosion caused by the
removal of trees and vegetation. The health of aquatic habitats is
directly tied to the human activity that takes place throughout the
entirety of their watersheds, requiring effective land management and
environmental policy.