Nitrogen Fertilizers Cause Serious Pollution

The most commonly used elements in fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are essential nutrients taken in by plants through their roots. Both potassium and phosphorus are common in soil, but nitrogen is added to the soil using fertilizer. One of these types of fertilizer is ammonia, or NH3, which can easily contaminate the water table underground. Nitrogen-heavy fertilizers are usually used for lawns, like at a golf course, because nitrogen specifically promotes healthy leaf growth. The heaviest areas of nitrate contamination occur in rural well water, which is drawn somewhat close to the ground surface. Unfortunately, nitrate removal is very expensive and so it is easier for the time being to use water from very deep aquifers rather than spend time and energy removing the nitrate from the contaminated water supply.

aquifer- water-containing rock or soil.
water table- a level below which the ground is saturated with water (water source underground.)

This article made me think about how wasteful golf courses are, because of the level of water and and fertilizer that they need.

Colin Baird, "Chemistry in Your Life." pp 502-3. 2nd Edition. New York, W.H. Freeman and Company.