Global anthropogenic interventions contribution in nitrogen pollution, major contributor of nitrogen pollutants human activities, fossil fuels, industrial waste, synthetic fertilizers, super intensive agricultural wastes. Scientific cum societal behavioural strategies for minimizing nitrogen pollution and combating climate change

1. GLOBAL STATUS OF NITROGEN POLLUTANTS AND
PROPOSED SCIENTIFIC CUM SOCIETAL INTEGRATED
ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR MINIMIZING
NITROGEN WASTE POLLUTION & COMBATING CLIMATE
CHANGES AND CONSERVATION OF NATURE ECOSYSTEMS
(SOIL, WATER& AIR) BIODIVERSITY
By:
Bhukya
Bhaskar
Fisheries
Nature is a gift of god, humans are threatening
nature, think that nature biodiversity is balancing
this ecosystem our world biodiversity is living, eg:
air, water, sunlight & tree sheds , wild forest fruits,
vegetables, land resources are fee but our
anthropogenic interventions destroying with
irresponsibly destroyed natural resources, polluted
all natural resources, emitted green house gasses
and now nature is giving back a threat in the form
of climate changes, disease outbreak, high
intensive natural & man made disasters. Hence let
us our world population unite from scientists to
individuals in society for solving the upcoming issue
by responsible movement of world nature, let us
save nature for biodiversity on this planet future.

2. Introduction
• World humans currently add approx 150 teragrams (Tg) of reactive nitrogen to Earth’s land
surface/year, through various industries & irresponsible synthetic chemicals dependent
intensive agri & animal farming and other anthropogenic interventions.
• Global production of nitrogen fertilizer is about 117.5 million metric tons in 2018, present it
may over 200 mmt.
• Global crop yield has been raised average from 19 kg of nitrogen/hectare/year in 1961 to 65kg
nitrogen/ha/year in 2022.
• However application of nitrogen (N)fertilizer may results in nitous oxide (N2O) emmissions a
potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 265 to 298 times that of carbon dioxide
(CO2) over a 100yrs period.
• About 200 million tonnes of this reactive nitrogen-80% is lost to the environment each year,
leaching into soil, rivers & lakes, emitted into the air,
• Major contributors: Nitrogen is a by product of burning fossil fuels like oil & coal, industries
synthetic fertilizers, anthropogenic irresponsible practices atmosphere (78% nitrogen)and
livestock.
• Nitrogen pollution, primarily from agriculture, wastewater, and industrial sources, poses
significant environmental and health risks.
• How Nitrogen pollute environment? : Nitrogen pollution can produce pollutants as ammonia
& Ozone, which can impair our ability to breathe, limit visibility & alter plants growth.
• Effective solutions involve a combination of improved agricultural practices, technological
advancements, and societal changes.

3. Solutions for Reducing Nitrogen Pollution
• 1. Agricultural Practices
• 2. Technological Advancements
• 3. Societal Changes
• 4. Nature-Based Solutions
• 5. Policy and Governance

4. Solutions for Reducing Nitrogen Pollution
1. Agricultural
Practices
a)Precision
Agriculture
b)Cover
Cropping
c)Nutrient
Management Plans
d)Sustainable
Fertilizers-Eg:
Biofertilizers
e)Livestock Waste
Management
f)Crop Rotation
2. Technological
Advancements
a)Wastewater
Treatment
b)Nitrogen Recovery
c)Low-NOx Burners
d)Combustion
Optimization
3. Societal
Changes
a)Dietary Changes
b)Food Waste Reduction
c)Public Awareness and
Education
d)Sustainable Fish
Farming
4. Nature-Based
Solutions
a)Wetlands and Riparian Buffers
b)Forestry Practices
5.Policy and
Governance
a)National and Regional Action
Plans
b)Incentives for Sustainable Practices
c)Collaboration and Engagement
d) Support Environmental friendly
practices green infrastructure

5. 1. Agricultural Practices:
• Precision Agriculture:
• Utilizing technologies like sensors and GPS to optimize fertilizer application,
minimizing excess use.
• Cover Cropping:
• Planting cover crops to prevent nutrient runoff and improve soil health.
• Nutrient Management Plans:
• Developing and implementing plans to balance nutrient inputs and outputs in
agricultural systems.
• Sustainable Fertilizers:
• Using slow-release fertilizers and exploring alternatives like biofertilizers.
• Livestock Waste Management:
• Implementing proper storage and handling practices to reduce ammonia
emissions from manure.
• Crop Rotation:
• Rotating crops to enhance nutrient cycling and reduce reliance on synthetic
fertilizers.

6. 2. Technological Advancements
• Wastewater Treatment:
• Upgrading wastewater treatment plants to remove nitrogen
through advanced techniques like nitrification and
denitrification.
• Nitrogen Recovery:
• Developing technologies to capture and reuse nitrogen from
wastewater and other sources.
• Low-NOx Burners:
• Implementing technologies like low-NOx burners in industrial
processes to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.
• Combustion Optimization:
• Optimizing combustion processes to minimize nitrogen oxide
formation.

7. 3. Societal Changes
• Dietary Changes:
• Encouraging a shift towards more plant-based diets to reduce
nitrogen footprints associated with meat production.
• Food Waste Reduction:
• Implementing strategies to minimize food waste, reducing
the overall nitrogen demand for food production.
• Public Awareness and Education:
• Raising public awareness about the impacts of nitrogen
pollution and promoting sustainable practices.
• Sustainable Fish Farming:
• Utilizing nutrient-rich sludge from fish farms as fertilizer on
agricultural land.

8. • 4. Nature-Based Solutions:
• Wetlands and Riparian Buffers:
• Restoring and protecting wetlands and riparian
areas to filter pollutants and enhance water
quality.
• Forestry Practices:
• Implementing sustainable forestry practices to
improve carbon sequestration and reduce nitrogen
runoff.

9. 5. Policy and Governance
• National and Regional Action Plans:
• Developing comprehensive policies and regulations to address
nitrogen pollution from various sources.
• Incentives for Sustainable Practices:
• Providing financial and other incentives to encourage farmers and
industries to adopt nitrogen-efficient practices.
• Collaboration and Engagement:
• Fostering collaboration among stakeholders, including farmers,
industries, governments, and consumers, to address the nitrogen
challenge.
• Innovative policies such as a nitrogen credit system (NCS) could be
implemented.
• Support Environmental friendly practices green infrastructure for
sustainable development.

10. Way farward
• Nitrogen is odorless, tasteless & colorless, Liquid nitrogen non
toxic, it melts at -210 degrees celcius (-346F). nitrogen makes 3%
of the human body weight.
• Improper use of nitrogen can severely damage air, water& soil
natural resources as each year 200 million tons of reactive
nitrogen (80%) are lost to environment, contaminating soil, water
& air, result in biodiversity loss& exacerbate climate change.
• A new goal to halve nitrogen waste by 2030 would save US$ 100
billion/year.
• As advanced waste water treatment & nitrogen recovery:
biological nitrogen removal(BNR), utilizing microbe to convert
harmful nitrogen compounds into less toxic forms in septic
systems & waste water treatment.

11. Chemical & Physicochemical methods for removal of
nitrogen
• Advanced oxidation process: utilize oxidizing
agents as hydrogen peroxide or ozone to treat
wastewater.
• Breakpoint chlorination: nitrogen removal through
oxidation with chlorine.
• Ammonia stripping: Physicochemical method that
releases ammonia gas from wastewater by passing
air through it.
• Struvite precipitation: remove nitrogen

12. Electrochemical & Bio electrochemical technologies:
• Electrochemical treatment: minimal sludge generation
&rapid start-up for nitrogen removal.
• Bio-electrical reactors (BERs): integrate biological &
electrochemical process, with potential for energy generation
(microbial fuel cells) or valuable product creation (microbial
electolysis cells), while effectively removing nitrogen.
• Emerging & hybrid solutions: as woodchip bioreactors for
denitrification & use of zero-valent iron (ZVI) to enhance
nitrogen removal in biological systems.
• Valorization strategies : nitrogen waste aiming to convert into
valuable product as hydrogen or ammonia through
electrochemical processes.

13. Societal & Behavioural changes in minimizing nitrogen pollution
• Industrial Nitrogen emission control: as combustion optimization to
generate less nitrogen oxides (Nox), fuel gas treatment as selective catalytic
reduction (SCR to remove Nox from industrial emmissions, low nitrogen
fuels .
• Nitrogen recovery from waste streams, sewage & food waste to extract
nitrogen for use as fertilizer.
• Microalgae & cyanobacteria cultivation
• Efficient and cost-effective wastewater treatment technologies is essential
for reducing nitrogen concentrations and eliminating nitrogen pollution.
• Bioreactors.
• Constructed wetlands.
• Winter cover crops.
• Reduced drainage intensity.
• Drainage water recycling.
• Improved nitrogen management.