Phosphorus

Phosphorus is required for bone growth

Simply put, phosphorus makes life on earth possible. It is an important plant fertilizer and animals require it for:

bones
teeth
blood plasma
cell chemistry
genetic material

Phosphorus is normally present in rivers at low concentrations. Too much dissolved phosphorus can set off a chain of undesirable events:

Extra phosphorus increases the growth of aquatic plants and algae.
Bacteria eventually decompose the dead plant material.
Decomposition removes dissolved oxygen from the water.
Fish die if dissolved oxygen drops to critical levels.

High levels of dissolved phosphorus are an indicator of pollution. Pre-packaged chemistry kits can be used to measure the concentration of dissolved phosphorus. Excessive phosphorus can enter a river from two major sources:

sewage effluent from towns and cities
storm water that drains from streets and agricultural land

An understanding of basic phosphorus science can help interpret data collected from local rivers. Click below to learn more about phosphorus and its affects on aquatic ecosystems!