Question

How can you prevent eutrophication?

Answer 1

Hint: Eutrophication is also called dystrophication or hypertrophication. The term eutrophication can be defined as the water body enriched with minerals and nutrients produces excessive growth of algae. Eutrophication means well – nourished.

Complete answer:
The oxygen level of the water body is decreased after the bacterial degradation of algae. Increased levels of nutrients in lakes, ponds, rivers and coastal zones result in a great increase in the number of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are also called algal bloom. Discharge of nitrate or phosphate containing fertilizers, detergents, or sewage into the aquatic system. The eutrophication can be prevented by:
Implementation of efficient filter ecosystems for the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from runoff water.
Phosphorus reduction in detergents.
Rationalization of farming techniques by proper fertilization planning and the use of slow release fertilizers.
The use of alternative animal husbandry practices to limit wastewater production.
Improvement of waste water treatment plant purification performance, installation of tertiary treatment systems to reduce nutrient concentrations.
Water oxygenation in order to restore ecological conditions, reducing the negative effects of the eutrophic process, such as oxygen scarcity and the formation of anaerobic toxic compounds.
Chemical phosphorus precipitation by adding iron or aluminum salts or calcium carbonate to the water, resulting in the precipitation of the respective orthophosphates of iron, aluminum or calcium, thereby reducing the negative effects of the excessive presence of phosphorus in the sediments.

Note:
One of the global water pollution issues is the eutrophication of lakes. Phosphate is considered to be the primary limiting factor of eutrophication as phosphate availability promotes excessive aquatic plant growth and algae as the important element for survival of plants is phosphorus.