*     Why is 
Nitrogen
important?

*   What is a 
Nitrate?

*  So...What's 
the problem?

*  Where do
Nitrates come
from?

*  A history of
the Nitrate
levels in the
Wekiva River

*  How can I 
test the water in
my backyard?

*  Pictures of
my testing sites
and my data

*  What does
 this data mean?

*  How can I
protect the
environment
from excessive
amounts of
Nitrates?

*  Useful sites
that I have used
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

     Although nitrates are essential to the maintenance of life, an “overkill” of nitrates can offset the balance in nature and often lead to quite detrimental effects.
     In the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) publication "Is Your Drinking Water Safe," "only two substances for which standards have been set pose an immediate threat to health whenever they are exeeded:  bacteria and nitrate."  In addition, high nitrate levels in water and feed lead to reduced vitality and increased stillbirth, low birth weight, and slow weight gain in livestock.
     Zoologists at Oregon State University have determined that several species of amphibians are harmed by concentrations of nitrates and nitrites that fall within Environmental Protection Agency standards for safe drinking water. When exposed to moderate amounts of nitrates and nitrites, some tadpoles and young frogs exhibited decreases in feeding and swimming activity, disequilibrium, physical abnormalities, paralysis, and death.  Over half of one species, the Oregon spotted frog, died after 15 days of exposure to nitrites. Of the five species tested, this sensitive species has largely disappeared from its historic range-an area of lowlands with intensive agricultural use.  Shocked by his results, Andrew Blaustein, a zoology professor, said, “I think this is clearly a significant problem. The question I have to ask is, are you comfortable drinking water with levels of fertilizer that kill of frogs?”  In addition, fertilizer runoff may be encouraging the growth of algae that feeds parasitic flatworms call trematodes, blamed for causing deformities in frogs. 
     Since the late 1940’s, high levels of nitrate in drinking water have also been linked to methemoglobinemia or “blue baby” syndrome.  Here, nitrate is converted in the gut to nitrite, which then combines with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, thus decreasing the ability of the blood to carry oxygen.  Fatalities are rare, but subacute methemoglobinemia can remain hidden while harmfully affecting the child's development.  Consequently, this disease can be quite dangerous.
     Another example is the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.  Each spring, excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus (which make their way to the Gulf from the atmosphere and via rivers polluted with agricultural runoff and municipal and industrial waste) trigger algal blooms. In shallow areas, an over abundance of algae can block the light needed by underwater vegetation. In addition, when the algae die, the water is depleted of oxygen as the algae rot and are consumed by bacteria.  This drives fish out of this region of the Gulf and kills all the animals, such as oysters, clams, and snails, which can not escape the oxygen deficient waters.  Unfortunately, the problem does not stop with the Gulf of Mexico.  Of the 139 U.S. coastal areas assessed, 44 were identified as severely affected by high levels of these nutrients.  Excess nitrogen is especially harmful and causes such effects as red tide, deaths of marine mammals, and the loss of biodiversity.