Purpose
The purpose of this lab report is to conduct a research that determines how Agricultural Industries affect the quality of ground water.
Introduction
Water within the environment is usually a solution that comprises of mineral elements and suspended materials that are of organic and inorganic origin. In the event that the minerals and suspended materials exceed the permissible threshold, the water becomes polluted (Schmoll,2006).In regards to ground water, contamination occurs as a result of soaking of industrial pollutants into ground water reservoirs, industrial spillages, and runoff water from farms that apply different agro-chemicals (Shankar, Balasubramanya, and Maruthesha-Reddy,2008). Given that ground water moves very slowly, often the water accumulates agrochemicals to lethal levels. Consequently, such contaminated ground water causes serious human health problems to individuals that come into contact with it. Some of the health problems associated with contaminated ground water include nervous disorders, liver and kidney failure, cancer and bacterial-related ailments(Schmoll,2006).
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"Impact Of Agricultural Industries On The Quality Of Ground Water".
Hypothesis
Poorly managed agricultural industries adversely affect the quality of ground water through seeping of harmful chemical such as nitrates into ground water channels and reservoirs.
Methods
Collect two ground water samples, one from a water body near a large farm and another from a water body in the middle of a forest or sparsely occupied area.
Using the Macherey Nagel Visocolor ECO nitrate kit measure the amount of nitrate in the two water samples
Determine the sample that has the highest concentration of nitrate.
Results
Lab tests using the Macherey Nagel Visocolor ECO nitrate kit showed that water samples collected from a water body that was near the farm had the highest concentration. Precisely, water from the farm had approximately 100 percent more nitrates (Schmoll,2006).
Discussion
Water from the farm had a higher concentration of nitrates since water runoff caries farm chemicals, such as nitrate fertilizers, to water bodies. This contributes to the proportionately high concentration of nitrate concentration in water bodies around the farm (Shankar et al.,2008).
Conclusion
Agricultural chemicals often accumulate in water bodies due to surface runoff. This contributes pollution of such water bodies. As such, poorly managed agricultural industries adversely affect the quality of ground water through seeping of harmful chemical, such as nitrate fertilizers, into ground water channels and reservoirs.
- Schmoll, O. (2006). Protecting groundwater for health: managing the quality of drinking-water sources. World Health Organization.
- Shankar, B. S., Balasubramanya, N., & Maruthesha Reddy, M. T. (2008). Impact of industrialization on groundwater quality–a case study of Peenya industrial area, Bangalore, India. Environmental monitoring and assessment, 142(1), 263-268.
