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Project localization.html
From 2014hs.igem.org
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Localization
First than all, we have to know what is eutrophication, well the eutrophication is the process of excessive growth of algae and weeds water in the water, caused by phosphates and other pollutants discharged to waters. In a eutrophic aquatic ecosystem two things happen: more oxygen is required to break down and increases the population of organisms known as primary producers: organisms that make photosynthesis, as macroalgae and lilies. These can reach atrophy processes exchange of oxygen and water flow. The liquid is cloudy and the lack of oxygen can devastate populations of various organisms.
How does it affect the lake of Xochimilco?
In hydrological Xochimilco area that is located south of the metropolitan area of Mexico City's 189 miles of canals that have been contaminated by the contribution of sewage, domestic waste, industrial, agricultural and drainage system leaks. This has affected different species of living beings that inhabit the area, causing a decline in biodiversity (Juárez-Figueroa et al., 2003).It is estimated that close to urban centers or agricultural nutrient input to a lake can be accelerated by the activities human, a process known as cultural eutrophication, which is the case with Lake Xochimilco to be within the city of Mexico. This is precisely effluent mainly caused by plants sewage treatment, containing nitrates and phosphates runoff of fertilizers and waste animals and accelerated erosion of eutrophication .The eutrophication derived from crops by the recent addition of phosphates and nitrates, as a result of activities human, it is also a serious problem for lakes, especially Lake Xochimilco. During warm periods, the overhead produce dense growth nutrient vegetables such as algae, cyanobacteria, water lilies and duckweed. Oxygen dissolved in the surface layer of water is near die exhausted when large masses of algae, which fall to the bottom and are decomposed by aerobic bacteria. This can kill fish and other animals water they consume oxygen. If theexcess nutrients continue to flow a body of water, the water reaches the bottom be rotten and almost unusable for living things, because bacteria take over and produce anaerobic decomposing substances with poor odors, such as hydrogen sulfide and the methane.
Factors
The factors affecting the degree of eutrophication are:
- Climate: warm climates favor the process.
- Shallow bodies of water and / or low flow are more conducive to the development process
- Drainage Area: little tree cover subject to abundant rainfall tions favors erosion and entrainment of nutrients into the water body
- Geology: In drainage areas where sedimentary rocks predominate vapor no greater phosphorus runoff. Clay soils drain poorly and also favor runoff and result in nutrient supply.
The causes of eutrophication include:
a) Natural:
- atmospheric inputs: precipitation.
- resuspension of bottom sediments.
- release from anoxic sediments.
- breakdown and excretion of organisms.
- nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.
b) Anthropogenic:
- Discharges of industrial, agricultural, municipal and waste treatment plants.
- Deforestation increases erosion and reduces the recycling of nutrients in the watershed, increasing their income to the water body.
- Fertilizer applied in excess.
- Sewage farms (silos, drums).
- Septic tanks.
- Detergents with large amounts of phosphorus.
- Contribution of pollutants from rainwater.
- Sewer system of cities and towns do.
- Measures to control eutrophication include:
Control of nutrient inputs:
- Waste treatment before being poured into the body of water.
- Restricting the use of phosphate detergents.
- Control of land use.
- Prepantanos: remove nutrients from waste water that are fixed in the biomass of algae and macrophytes.
- Physical and chemical waste water treatment: chemical precipitation and filtration.
What we found....
Elements found in the lake of Xochimilco
| Sample | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| MO mg/LO | 154 | 251 | 88 | 151 | 555 | 295 | 25 | 75 |
| Phosphorus mg/L | 5.8 | 5.6 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 23.0 | 17.1 | 15.0 | 14.2 |
| pH | 6.2 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Temperature °C | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Precipitation | 21.0 | 20.0 | 22.0 | 23.0 | 21.5 | 19.8 | 21.0 | 54 |
| MO = Organic Mater |
