Phosphoric acid can have environmentally harmful side effects, especially in the
food webs, and
water sources.
Phosphates, including phosphoric acid, have been found increasingly in household
detergents or in laundering agents. Phosphoric acid is
detrimental to the environment as a water
pollutant. Phosphates are a source of
nutrients to
algae, but when
algae grows
superfluously, it
suffocates the
river.
Aquatic life dies as the
oxygen is
suppressed and consumed.
Human and
environmental health is sacrificed by the release of
phosphates. The chemicals are
accumulative; as the oxygen level drops, the water will become hazardous to
citizens,
vegetation, and
wildlife.
On December 11, 1997, that was exactly what happened. Fifty million gallons of acidic wastewater (1% phosphoric acid) from the Mulberry Phosphates Inc. spilled into the Afalia River. This resulted from a breach in the containment wall. The spill's impact stretched downriver into Hillsborough County. The reaction to the spill from the Tallahassee Department of Environmental Protection was to initiate a damage assessment of the entire river. It takes a long time for chemicals and oxygen deprivation in the water to simply fade away. They often linger, traveling
through future generations of humans or animals. Water pollution has become one of the most critical problems ever. Many environmental agencies have introduced precautions and regulations yet wastewater and phosphate pollution still persist. Anti-pollution efforts have begun, but are they enough?
Maybe the anti-pollution efforts will be enough, but only with the
assistance of our industries and businesses. We need to take action on
pollution as a whole. To prevent ecological catastrophes, we need better
safety guards on our waste management and pollution control. This will
include secure tracking of disposal, containment, handling, and tolerance
levels of pollutants. The acidic state of phosphorus wastewater and other
major types of water pollution are a serious situation quickly becoming
critical. There is no convenient way to dispose of the byproducts of
phosphate, and the manufacturers have to contain it within sealed landfills
or bins. Unfortunately, seals can break, bins can rupture, and then spills
occur. Clearly, we require action to stop this expanding contamination of
our world and everything in it. Industries need to adhere closely to
regulations and laws or the environment and the people will suffer.