Question

List three ways by which phosphates are transferred from the land to water. In your own words, explain how these might impact the environment and human health.

Answer 1

Phosphates generally come from fertilizer, plus erosion of phosphate-containing rocks. The principal problem is that they are fertilizers, so they tend to strongly encourage growth, particularly of bacteria and algae. This can significantly unbalance ecologies, particularly in water, and particularly where there isn't a very robust growth medium already, e.g. in cold or desert waters.