Sponsor Area

Environmental Issues

Question
CBSEENBI12002013

Plenty of algal bloom is observed in a pond in your locality.
(a) Write what has caused this bloom and how does it affect the quality of water.
(b) Suggest a preventive measure.

Solution

(a) The presence of large amounts of nutrients in water leads to algal bloom. These nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) are added to water bodies from fertilisers that get issolved in soil and are washed off by water bodies. Algal bloom affects the quality of water in the
following ways:
(i) It causes deterioration of water quality making it unfit to use.
(ii) Eutrophication (natural ageing of water bodies) is accelerated, resulting in hypoxic conditions (i.e. low oxygen), killing off the aquatic diversity.
(b) To prevent the algal bloom, the farmers instead of using chemical nutrients must start using natural products like manures produced using vermicomposting. Biodegradable materials should be used, that are readily decomposed and are phosphate free. Awareness should be created among people about the effects of dumping waste in water bodies.