Nitrates

By: Leora, Celty, Riley, and Izzie

 Nitrates are chemicals made up
of nitrogen and oxygen that can
develop in water. A nitrate test
can measure the amount of
All About these chemicals using a scale in
ppm (parts per million) or MG/L

Nitrates
What are they? What are the
nitrate levels in a healthy
ecosystem?
(milligrams/liter). The optimal
nitrate level for a healthy
ecosystem is between 0 and 5
ppm. The nitrate levels that we
gathered proved to be healthy,
considering that they were all
less than .2 ppm.
 Unusually high nitrate levels can
result from both runoff
containing fertilizer and animal
and plant waste. An example of
the effects of high nitrate levels
is found in the city of Thane,
Causes and India. Several bodies of water in
Thane have dangerously high

Solutions
chemical content because of
sewage release and dumping.
These nitrates are harming both
animal and plant life. Some
What are the sources? What
solutions to this issue include
are the solutions? What is a
not using fertilizers that contain
real-life example?
phosphorus on lawns and
gardens, and controlling animal
manure coming from farms.
 Natural levels of nitrate dont
typically affect organisms, but
several problems can arise when
these levels grow out of control. For
example, nitrates serve as a
fertilizer for algae and other marine

Biodiversity plant life. During resulting algae

blooms, fish can develop conditions
and reproduce less because of the
excess dissolved oxygen. This can
have negative effects on entire
species. Nitrates can also directly
cause kidney damage and
decreased fertility. Nitrates are
relatively harmless when it comes to
people until they are converted into
nitrites, which can lead to an
inability for the blood cells to carry
oxygen.
Effects on
Biodiversity Thousands of fish were found
dead in the Bata River near the
in the Bata Gohira dam. The local Pollution
Control Board concluded that

River this happened because of high

levels of pollution resulting in
the release of ammonia and
nitrates. If biodiversity were to
lessen on a larger scale, clean
water would become more
limited resulting in a serious
problem for humans.
Research INKS
LAKE
MANSFIE
LD
DAM
PACE
BEND
and 1992
.4 MG/L
1991
.01 MG/L
1989
.04 MG/L

Historical 1993
.01 MG/L
1992
.56 MG/L
1990
.07 MG/L

Data 2017
Less
than .2
2017
Less
than .2
2017
Less
than .2
ppm ppm ppm

According to the data, nitrates have

maintained a fairly stable, healthy level,
but if this level raises, serious
repercussions could occur.

LCRA Sites
How has the date for the LCR
sites changed over time? How
do nitrates affect other water
level tests?
One way that nitrates affect
other tests is that algae can
feed on nitrates, and the
overproduction of algae can
cause major changes in
dissolved oxygen. All of the
LCRA nitrate data has been
fairly stable over the last few
decades, with occasional
fluctuations. The Austin levels
typically stay between .01 and .
6 MG/L.
 Badgeri, Manoj, and Tnn. "Nearly 15 of 35 Lakes in
Thane City Found with Excessive Toxins, Marine Life
at Stake: TMC Study - Times of India." The Times of
India. City, 11 Mar. 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. <
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/nearly-
15-of-35-lakes-in-thane-city-found-with-excessive-tox
ins-marine-life-at-stake-tmc-study/articleshow/575976
20.cms
>.

"Nitrate in Well Water." Nitrate in Well Water - EH:

Resources
Minnesota Department of Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 24
Mar. 2017. <
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/wells/waterqual
ity/nitrate.html
>.

"Nitrates and Their Effect on Water Quality."

Wheatley River Improvement Group. N.p., n.d. Web.
24 Mar. 2017. <
http://www.wheatleyriver.ca/media/nitrates-and-their-
effect-on-water-quality-a-quick-study/
>.

http://waterquality.lcra.org/

Nitrate solutions
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/15-ways-reduce
-nutrients-lakes-and-streams