Question

How does the phosphorus cycle affect humans?

Answer 1

Hint: Phosphorus is a chemical substance found in the environment in a range of compound forms, like phosphate ion (${PO_4^{3-}}$), found in water, soil and sediments. In general, the amount of phosphorus in the soil is low, often limiting the plant growth.

Complete answer:
In order to survive, human beings need phosphorus in the form of phosphates. Adenosine triphosphate is a molecule which is used as it transfers or uses energy in ion channels and comprises phosphate groups. Calcium phosphate is about $70$ percent in our bones. Phosphate is also the backbone of our DNA and RNA. The phosphorus cycle is completely essential for humans. Humans, nevertheless, too have influenced the phosphorus cycle by mining, fertilizers and fuel emissions. Fertilizer is rich in phosphorus, by using it in fields, it may spread to nearby environments, creating areas of hypertrophication whereby algae grow in abundance, which may be detrimental to the community. Phosphorus used during fertilizers is often generated from calcium phosphate. Mining also uses fuel and phosphorus, that is buried in the lithosphere in oil and coal as an impurity, that can be burned by mistake and discharged into the atmosphere as phosphorous compounds. Excessive phosphorus in our water supply could have harmful effects for humans. These could result in excessive plant growth (including algae). It might, in turn, clog our water mains and filters and intervene with human activities (such as swimming and fishing). Whenever the algae die, it can correspond to a decline in the quality of the water, leading to a foul smell and bad taste of drinkable water. Most of the phosphorus waste hits our rivers, lakes, and oceans via crop or compost runoff or from phosphates in detergent and soda drains, culminating in eutrophication. This is an aggressive type of water contamination in which algae flourish, then die, absorb oxygen, and create a "dead zone" that nothing can survive.

Note:
Humans have made significant changes to the environmental phosphorus cycle through the transportation of phosphorus minerals and the use of phosphorus fertilizers, and even the shipment of food from rural areas to urban areas in which it is lost as an effluent. Human intervention in the phosphorus cycle occurs by the overuse of or inappropriate use of phosphorus fertilizers.