Table of Contents
Why too many nitrates in a body of water can be a problem?
In many cases, the amount of nitrate in the water is what limits how much plants and algae can grow. If there is an excess level of nitrates, plants and algae will grow excessively. Excess plants in a body of water can create many problems. Excess algae or plant growth is also unsightly.
Why can nitrates be a problem?
High nitrate levels in drinking water pose a health risk to infants because they may cause methemologlobinemia, a condition known as “blue baby syndrome.” High nitrate levels interrupt the normal body processes of some infants.
What does it mean if you have high nitrates in your water?
High levels of nitrate in water can be a result of runoff or leakage from fertilized soil, wastewater, landfills, animal feedlots, septic systems, or urban drainage. It can be difficult to pinpoint where the nitrate in drinking water comes from because there are many possibilities.
How does nitrates affect the body?
It’s thought that sodium nitrate may damage your blood vessels, making your arteries more likely to harden and narrow, leading to heart disease. Nitrates may also affect the way your body uses sugar, making you more likely to develop diabetes.
Are nitrates in water harmful?
Nitrate is a compound that is formed naturally when nitrogen combines with oxygen or ozone. Nitrogen is essential for all living things, but high levels of nitrate in drinking water can be dangerous to health, especially for infants and pregnant women.
Does nitrate affect pH?
Higher nitrate concentrations can lower the pH, making the water more acidic. Most aquatic life can only tolerate a pH from 6-9, but if pH fluctuates out of this range, it could signal either a change in nitrate concentration or a change in dissolved carbon dioxide concentration.
Why are nitrates bad for the environment?
The environmental impacts of nitrate pollution include ecological and amenity damage to our rivers, lakes and coasts; higher costs, energy use and carbon emissions for drinking water treatment and long-term impacts for our groundwater.
Can nitrates in water make you sick?
Ingesting water with high levels of nitrate/nitrite can make people sick. Private drinking water sources (e.g., wells, dugouts, springs) can sometimes contain unsafe levels of nitrates/nitrites. If a baby drinks water with high nitrate/nitrite levels or it’s used to make formula, it might cause blue baby syndrome.
What are the side effects of nitrates?
What are the side effects?
- Dizziness.
- Headaches.
- Flushing of your face and neck.
- Upset stomach or throwing up.
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia)
What happens if you have too many nitrates in Your Water?
Excessive nitrates in drinking water can cause “blue-baby syndrome” or methemoglobinemia. Various treatment options are available to remove nitrate from water. The facts on nitrates are important to rural well owners all across Pennsylvania. Where do nitrates come from? How much nitrate is too much?
Where does the nitrate in drinking water come from?
The health concern is with levels of nitrate over 10 mg/L. High levels of nitrate in water can be a result of runoff or leakage from fertilized soil, wastewater, landfills, animal feedlots, septic systems, or urban drainage. It can be difficult to pinpoint where the nitrate in drinking water comes from because there are many possibilities.
What causes high levels of nitrite in the body?
Nitrate intake depends on a variety of factors, including diet and the amount and quality of water that a person consumes. If there are high levels of nitrite in the body, it is generally because of high levels of nitrates in the drinking water.
How are nitrates in well water harmful to infants?
The inorganic nitrates found in contaminated well water are often overlooked as a source of nitrate exposure that can result in serious health effects in infants. Usually nitrates that enter the body by eating or drinking leave the body without harm.