Effects of Fertilizer
Fertilizer
is any substance used to add nutrients to the soil to promote soil fertility
and increase plant growth. Notice how nothing in there mentions the actual soil
health; that's because not all fertilizers are made the same and not all are
healthy for the soil.
Soil
health relies on a balance of macronutrients and micronutrients, as well as
microbial health. It's vastly more complicated then simply adding nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium (NPK) to the ground and calling it a day.
Affects
the Quality of Soil
Regular and repeated use of fertilizers on the
same soil gradually alters the fertility of the soil, making it totally
infertile and barren after some years. A soil test should be done every 3 to 4
years in order to avoid this and the farmers should switch to organic
fertilizers.
Affects
the Water Bodies
Excessive use of fertilizers causes eutrophication. This is when the harmful chemicals of the fertilizers are taken to the lakes and oceans due to rains as well as sewage. These chemical components decrease the oxygen level of the water and affect the aquatic flora and fauna. It causes deaths of fish and other plants in the water. Due to this polluted water being consumed by animals or even humans for drinking, it can cause harmful diseases. It is said that over 50% water bodies all over the world are already polluted due to this.
Mineral
Depletion
There is
an increasing concern that continuous use of chemical fertilizers on soil
depletes the soil of essential nutrients. As a result, the food produced in
these soils have less vitamin and mineral content. According to data produced
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Data Laboratory, foods grown in
soils that were chemically fertilized were found to have less magnesium,
potassium and calcium content.
Increased
Air Polution
Excess
nitrogen used in crop fertilization can contribute to the release of greenhouse
gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. This effect
is caused by using a greater amount of chemical fertilizer than the plants can
readily absorb. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Lab, excess greenhouse
gases trapped in the atmosphere may be contributing to the increase of land and
ocean surface temperatures.
Chemical
burn
Chemical
fertilizers are high in nutrient content such as nitrogen. Over-application of
chemical fertilizer to plants may cause the leaves to turn yellow or brown,
damaging the plant and reducing crop yield. This condition is known as chemical
leaf scorch. Leaf scorch can cause the leaves of the plant to wither and may
cause the plant to die.
Human
Health
The
nitrogen and other chemicals present in the fertilizers can also affect the
ground waters and waters that are used for the purpose of drinking! One of the
most common result for this can be the development of blue baby syndrome which
occurs in infants whose skin tissues are low in oxygen, which is why their skin
appears to be blue or purplish in color. You would also be interested to know
that studies reveal that the use of lawn fertilizers and pesticides can cause
health risks like cancer and chronic diseases in humans, especially in
children.
Fertilizer
s effects on Environment
A
fertilizer is a substance, be it synthetic or organic, which is added to the
soil in order to increase the supply of essential nutrients that boost the
growth of plants and vegetation in that soil. With the rapid increase in
population globally, the demand of food and agricultural yield has been rising
tremendously. This is the reason why statistics show that almost 40-60% of
agricultural crops are grown with the use of different types of fertilizers.
Not only this, more than 50% people feed on crops that are grown as a result of
using synthetic fertilizers. On the other hand, there are organic fertilizers
that consist of manures and animal wastes. The following section discusses how
fertilizers are affecting the nature and environment around us.
Toxic Waste Potential
Many
people do not realize that some fertilizers are made from the residuals of
waste water treatment facilities or recycled from other areas that cause them
to test positive for toxic waste. According to the federation of Public
Interest Research Groups (PIRG), 29 popular fertilizers tested positive for 22
toxic heavy metals, including silver, nickel, selenium, thallium and vanadium.
All of the metals found are linked directly to human health hazards.