Too much of anything is dangerous and such is in the case of the nitrogen levels present on Earth. While it is very essential for food production, nitrogen can be a toxic pollutant, too, if left unchecked.
Pollution due to nitrogen is mostly caused by humans mainly through excessive use of fertilizers (even the organic ones) in their farms and gardens, as well as storm water runoffs from paved roads and sewages that fail to remove nitrogen in the waters. In some cases, it is also considered as one of the causes for diseases such asthma or cancer, since it contributes largely to the widespread air and water pollutions in all parts of the globe.
In the waters, too much nitrogen can prop up algae growth, which could lead to very unstable water ecosystems. Large populations of algae block the sunlight from other plant life and they could also deplete oxygen supply underwater.
If this continues, scientists are expecting a steep rise in the nitrogen pollution from 102 percent in 2010 to 156 percent by 2050. In fact, the pollution is making itself felt already in Europe, inflicting one to four percent damage in its economic output, costing the continent billions of dollars from the loss, and half of the damage caused by nitrogen pollution is from agriculture.
However, with the right moderation of nitrogen use, pollution caused by this indispensable building block could be cut by 50 percent only, and only if, "ambitious mitigations" are observed.
This is according to a study conducted by scientists at the Postdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, which was recently published in the journal Nature.
"It became clear that without mitigation the global situation may markedly deteriorate as the global food demand grows," said lead author Benjamin Bodirsky, an affiliate of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture in Colombia. "A package of mitigation actions can reverse this trend, yet the risk remains that nitrogen pollution still exceeds safe environmental thresholds."
Through an extensive series of computer simulations, scientists explored different mitigation measures. They suggested improvements in crop and animal production systems, food-waste reduction in households and lowering intake of "nitrogen-intensive" animal products.
Such mitigations are more inexpensive than dealing with incoming consequences and combined efforts from both the farmers and the consumers could lessen nitrogen pollution, even in small steps.
Scientists suggested that farmers could disperse fertilizers, which tons are mostly blown away by the wind or washed out by heavy downpours, by careful application to plants' needs through precise soil measurement. Farmers could also opt for animal droppings as substitute fertilizers. Not only it reduces the pollution, it is also more efficient and economical.
"For consumers in developed countries, halving food waste, meat consumption and related feed use would not only benefit their health and their wallet," co-author Alexander Popp added. "Both changes would also increase the overall resource efficiency of food production and reduce pollution."
