Phosphates are chemical compounds containing phosphorus. Phosphorus is a non-metallic element which is necessary for life and is found in rock as inorganic phosphates. As water runs over and through rocks it carries off small amounts of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphates.
Phosphates are chemicals containing the element phosphorous, and they affect water quality by causing excessive growth of algae.
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excess phosphates create water that's cloudy and low in oxygen
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Phosphates feed algae, which grow out of control in water ecosystems and create imbalances, which destroy other life forms and produce harmful toxins.
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In Excess …show more content…
All plants need phosphates to grow, but phosphorous is normally present in surface water at a rate of only 0.02 parts per million. Introducing additional phosphates into water results in a massive growth of algae, which are aquatic plants including many single-celled, free-floating plants. Excessive amounts of algae cloud the water in an effect called an algal bloom, which reduces the sunlight available to other plants and sometimes kills them. When the algae die, the bacteria that break them down use up dissolved oxygen in the water, depriving and sometimes suffocating other aquatic