Meghan Hodges
Algae are a diverse group of organisms that are always present in natural bodies of water. While they are a normal part of the ecosystem, certain pollutants can affect their growth, causing harmful algal blooms (HABs). These blooms can be toxic to both humans and aquatic life. To reverse algae pollution, it is important to address the underlying causes, such as nutrient pollution from fertilizers, sewage, and industrial processes. This can be done through improved waste management practices, such as proper disposal of pollutants, reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides, and treating sewage and industrial wastewater before releasing it into water bodies. Additionally, individual actions such as conserving water, using phosphate-free soaps, and properly disposing of pet waste can also help reduce algae pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to prevent harmful algal blooms | Choose phosphate-free soaps and detergents, use water efficiently, use fertilizer responsibly, landscape with native plants, don't overwater gardens and yards, conserve water, reduce pollutants, reduce waste, shop wisely, reduce vehicle pollution, use less energy, fish responsibly |
| How to identify harmful algal blooms | HAB forecasting systems use imagery from satellites, field observations, mathematical models, public health reports, and buoys |
| How to treat harmful algal blooms | Activated sludge systems, lagoon systems, trickling filters |
| Causes of harmful algal blooms | Excess nitrogen and phosphorus, organic pollution, agricultural runoff, manure, industrial processes, sewage, septic systems, stormwater runoff, commercial fertilizers, household laundry detergents, leaky septic tanks, livestock waste, temperature, light, pH, salinity, nutrient levels |
| Effects of harmful algal blooms | Depletes oxygen in the water, kills fish and other living creatures, causes illnesses in humans and animals, impacts clear water, recreation, businesses, and property values |
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What You'll Learn
Reduce nutrient pollution, especially nitrogen and phosphorus
Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for plant growth and occur naturally in aquatic ecosystems. However, human activities can introduce excess amounts of these nutrients into the environment, causing harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs are a significant issue in the United States, impacting drinking water sources, human health, recreation, and ecosystems. To reduce nutrient pollution, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, several measures can be implemented:
Agricultural Practices
Farmers can employ conservation drainage practices to manage water movement and reduce nutrient loads while maintaining adequate drainage for crops. This includes techniques such as modifying drainage system design, using woodchip bioreactors, saturated buffers, and improving drainage ditch systems. Ensuring year-round ground cover by planting cover crops or perennial species can prevent soil erosion and nutrient loss into waterways. Implementing field buffers by planting trees, shrubs, and grasses along water bodies can also help trap and filter nutrients before they enter aquatic ecosystems.
Livestock Management
Managing livestock access to streams is crucial. Farmers can install fences along water bodies to prevent animals from entering and polluting the water with their waste, which contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. This simple measure can help restore stream banks and reduce excess nutrient runoff into water bodies.
Responsible Fertilizer Use
Fertilizers are a significant source of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. Homeowners and farmers should use fertilizers responsibly and efficiently. Avoid over-application and follow guidelines to ensure proper usage rates. Avoid fertilizing before heavy rainfall, as it can wash fertilizers into stormwater systems and nearby waterways.
Wastewater Management
Improve wastewater management processes to ensure effective removal of nutrients. This includes upgrading treatment facilities and promoting responsible household wastewater disposal practices, such as using commercial car washes or washing cars on lawns to prevent soapy water from entering stormwater systems.
Public Awareness and Education
Educate the public about the impacts of nutrient pollution and provide simple guidelines for eco-friendly choices. This includes encouraging the use of phosphate-free soaps and detergents, conserving water, properly disposing of pet waste (which contains high levels of nitrogen), and reducing the use of herbicides and pesticides.
By implementing these measures and collaborating across sectors, communities can effectively reduce nutrient pollution and mitigate the harmful effects of algae blooms on the environment and human health.
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Prevent harmful algal blooms (HABs)
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are caused by different kinds of pollution, and there are many ways to prevent them. Here are some actions you can take to prevent HABs:
Choose phosphate-free soaps and detergents
Phosphorus, along with nitrogen, causes an overgrowth of algae in a short period of time. Phosphate-containing soaps and detergents can be swept into waterways with your wastewater as they are not always effectively removed during treatment.
Use water efficiently
Devices like low-flow showerheads can reduce the volume of wastewater discharged to home septic systems and sewage treatment plants. More water flowing into our waterways can wash large amounts of chemicals that cause algal growth.
Pick up after your pets
Pet waste, like agricultural manure, contains high levels of nitrogen, which promotes algal growth.
Wash your car in commercial car washes
Commercial car washes are required to properly dispose of wastewater. Lawns or other permeable surfaces around your home prevent soaps and wastewater from draining directly into stormwater systems and waterways where it can cause HABs.
Use fertilizer responsibly
Fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorus, the nutrients that support HAB growth. Applying too much can contribute to HABs.
Additionally, you can landscape with native plants, which are better adapted to local conditions, often requiring less water and fertilizer than introduced plant species. Do not overwater gardens and yards, as excess water can drain fertilizers and other pollutants into stormwater systems and waterways.
On a larger scale, strategies to prevent HABs include the manipulation of nutrient levels in coastal waters through pollution control policies, efforts to alter water circulation or residence times through dredging or opening of channels, and aeration or other efforts to disrupt stratification, thus altering phytoplankton community composition.
Furthermore, the oldest and most widely used approach to controlling HABs involves the application of certain types of clay during blooms. When sprinkled on surface waters during an algal bloom, the tiny but dense clay particles will combine with other particles in the water, including the HAB cells. As these aggregations, known as "flocs", grow, they sink through the water until they reach the bottom, clearing the water as they descend. Countries like South Korea and China routinely use clay to control algal blooms.
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Monitor and predict HABs
Monitoring and predicting harmful algal blooms (HABs) is crucial to prevent their severe impacts on coastal resources, local economies, and public health. HABs occur when algae, which are simple plants that live in seawater and freshwater, grow out of control and produce toxins harmful to people and animals.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) play a principal role in providing monitoring and forecasting data on HABs across the United States. The EPA provides real-time data on cyanobacterial algal blooms through the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) mobile and desktop applications. This data is available for a large number of lakes in the US and individual lakes within the CyAN network. The EPA also offers long-term trends in HAB data for freshwater bodies, allowing users to track the extent and frequency of HABs over time.
The Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring System, developed by NCCOS, provides near-real-time products for locating, monitoring, and quantifying algal blooms in coastal and lake regions. This system utilizes geographic-based images to detect blooms and provides short-term forecasts that identify potentially harmful blooms, their locations, sizes, and probable movement. Longer-term forecasts predict the severity of HABs for the entire bloom season in a specific region. These forecasts are essential for alerting coastal managers, health officials, environmental managers, and water treatment facility operators, enabling them to take appropriate actions to mitigate the impacts on public health, the environment, and local industries.
Additionally, HAB forecasting systems employ various tools, including satellite imagery, field observations, mathematical models, public health reports, and buoys, to make predictions. These forecasts can cover periods ranging from a few weeks to several months. By understanding the factors that contribute to HABs, such as nutrient pollution and the presence of specific algae species, we can implement preventive measures and reduce the occurrence and severity of these harmful events.
To effectively monitor and predict HABs, it is crucial to analyze water samples collected from lakes, streams, and other water bodies. Microscopic analysis of these samples can reveal the diversity and density of algal species and provide early warning signs of deteriorating water conditions. This proactive approach enables stakeholders to take timely action and minimize the potential harm caused by HABs to the environment, human health, and local economies.
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Reduce organic pollution, like sewage and manure
Algal blooms are caused by nutrient pollution, which can come from sewage and manure. Sewage-related sources of pollution include leaky septic tanks, and livestock waste. Manure contains high levels of nitrogen, which promotes algal growth.
To reduce organic pollution from sewage, it is important to ensure that septic systems are functioning properly and are not leaking. This can be achieved through regular maintenance and monitoring of septic systems. Additionally, the use of phosphate-free soaps and detergents can help reduce the amount of nutrients that are discharged into waterways. Efficient water usage can also help, as it reduces the volume of wastewater that goes into septic systems and sewage treatment plants.
When it comes to manure, proper disposal and treatment methods are crucial. Animal manure contains not only nitrogen and phosphorus but also other pollutants such as pathogens, heavy metals, antimicrobials, and hormones, which can all contribute to water pollution. To mitigate this, confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are required by federal and state regulations to implement a comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP) to ensure the environmentally safe application of nutrients. There are also several existing and emerging technologies for treating animal manure to reduce its environmental impact, such as the quick wash process, which balances the N:P ratio to make it safer for soil application.
In addition to these specific measures, general waste reduction practices can also help to reduce organic pollution. This includes properly disposing of herbicides, pesticides, and cleaning products, as well as reducing the use of single-use plastics and opting for sustainable shopping choices.
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Choose phosphate-free soaps and detergents
Phosphorus is one of the primary nutrients responsible for the growth of algae in bodies of water. This phosphorus can come from a variety of sources, including household laundry detergents, commercial fertilizers, and stormwater runoff.
Phosphates in detergents are used to soften hard water. However, when introduced to waterways, phosphates can cause environmental damage, including algae blooms, low oxygen levels, and fish deaths. These issues came to light in the late 1960s and early 1970s when lakes and rivers in the US turned bright green with algae. This triggered public alarm and activism, with scientists identifying phosphates in laundry detergents as a contributing factor.
As a result, there has been a push to remove phosphates from detergents. Some countries and states have implemented regulations to limit or ban the use of phosphates, and companies like Procter & Gamble have voluntarily committed to eliminating phosphates from their products. While the detergent industry denies that phosphates are the main cause of eutrophication, experiments have shown that reducing phosphorus by 99% can almost completely stop the growth of blue-green algae.
Choosing phosphate-free soaps and detergents is an important step in preventing algae pollution. When purchasing soaps and detergents, look for products that are labelled phosphate-free or eco-friendly. You can also opt for alternative brands like Ecover and Seventh Generation, which have developed effective phosphate-free formulas. Additionally, consider using a mixture of detergent and soap, as this can provide equally good results without the need for phosphates.
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Frequently asked questions
Algae pollution is caused by an increase in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. This can be due to a variety of factors, including agricultural runoff, sewage, and industrial effluents.
Algae pollution can have negative impacts on the environment. As algae grow excessively, they consume oxygen and block sunlight from reaching underwater plants, leading to a depletion of oxygen levels in the water. This can result in the death of aquatic life, creating “dead zones" where aquatic life cannot survive. Additionally, some types of algae produce toxins that can contaminate drinking water sources and harm both human and aquatic health.
Algae blooms are visible signs of algae pollution and can appear as thick, green muck on the surface of the water. They can be green, blue-green, red, or brown, and may produce unpleasant tastes and odours in the water.
To reverse algae pollution, it is important to reduce the input of nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, into water bodies. This can be achieved through responsible fertilizer use, proper waste disposal, and the selection of phosphate-free soaps and detergents. Conserving water and reducing the use of pesticides and herbicides can also help prevent algae blooms and improve water quality.
