The Unforeseen Harm in Artificial Growth: Eutrophication

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). Harmful algal bloom solutions [Image of algal bloom in Lake Erie; originally from NASA Earth Observatory]. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/hab-solutions.html

When winter glosses over, and the gentle sunlight starts to pierce the gentle breeze, a set of specific conditions permits a single spark to roar into a soaring flame; that is the process of eutrophication (a process defined as harmful algal blooms and dead zones by the National Ocean Service) (What is Eutrophication, n.d.). Multicolored blooms and toxic plumages explode into beautiful strokes of colour, rivaling van Gogh’s Starry Night. From spring into early fall, the warm temperatures encourage rapid growth in aquatic plants. Algae isn’t an exception to this fact. Whilst algal blooms are a naturally occurring phenomenon, human interference has encouraged an increase in frequency.

Most of today’s algal blooms are caused by an abnormal abundance of nutrients (rainwater washing away nutrients from agricultural plots or improper wastewater disposal), causing algae to rapidly ‘bloom’. This initial bloom is the beginning of an extensive chain reaction. The bloom in algae depletes oxygen, making the body of water hypoxic (deprived of sufficient oxygen supply), and suffocates aquatic creatures. In addition to the lack of oxygen, the lack of sunlight kills any submerged aquatic plants. The dead plants and animals feed bacteria, causing them to bloom in a similar fashion. Some types of algal blooms (such as cyanobacteria) can produce harmful toxins (such as cyanotoxins — Cyanide-containing compounds), making them poisonous to humans and animals alike. Coming in contact with contaminated bodies of water ccan cause rashes and irritation to the skin, whilst ingestion or inhalation of toxins can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory issues such as nausea, vomiting, or wheezing.  (Harmful Algal Blooms and Your Health, 2024)

Despite the simplicity of its cause, the solution to eutrophication isn’t quite as simple, which is why the most commonly employed and effective tactic is prevention, rather than cleaning up. Most of the time, these tactics are rather rudimentary, such as redirecting wastewater flow or treating it before release, as well as regulations on fertilizer usage by agricultural plots and farmers. There are, however, some solutions that are occasionally employed to mitigate the effects of eutrophication. These include aeration/oxygenation (bubbling oxygen through the body of water to ensure the area does not become a dead zone) as well as inactivation of nutrients through the addition of reactive compounds. A primary example is phosphorus inactivation, the addition of compounds that react with phosphorus to form insoluble compounds. 

As temperatures rise, so do bacteria and algae. The beauty of such toxic plumes emanating throughout the water may not be as serene as you believe. These swirls of colors are a result of disturbances in the intricate balances of the natural ecosystem, and thus, despite its stunningly terrifying beauty, is an unnatural phenomena (when in excess) that must be prevented.

CDC. (2024, January 9). Harmful Algal Blooms and Your Health. Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)-Associated Illness. https://www.cdc.gov/harmful-algal-blooms/about/index.html

NOAA. (2024, June 16). What is eutrophication? National Ocean Service; NOAA. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/eutrophication.html

US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2017). Can we clean up, stop, or end harmful algal blooms? Noaa.gov. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/hab-solutions.html