What Problems Can Fertilizers Cause?

Fertilizer is a substance or mixture, made from either synthetic or organic methods, used to make soil more fertile. Fertilizer contains the three primary macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well as a variety of secondary nutrients and additives, which vary by brand and type of fertilizer. Under normal conditions and application, fertilizer use is relatively safe and causes few problems for humans and the environment. However, improper application and over fertilization can cause a variety of serious problems.

Nitrogen leaching, caused when heavy rainfall saturates soil to a point where the excess water absorbs excess nutrients, can potentially contaminate private supplies of drinking water. According to the University of Missouri, nitrate leaching from fertilizer can contaminate private supplies of water, which in high levels, is toxic to newborns and young children. "Blue-baby" syndrome, a common symptom of toxic nitrogen levels over 10 ppm (parts per million) in drinking water, accounts for a bluish color of the babies skin, eyes and mouth, states the University of Missouri. Exposure to the high nitrogen levels over time can lead to death by internal suffocation in the baby. To avoid nitrogen leaching, conduct a soil test from either a university-based or a private lab to determine to recommended levels of fertilizer to apply. Water tests done by university-based or private labs can also determine the nitrate levels in drinking water, which can prevent possible poisoning.

Plant burn or fertilizer burn is a common symptom of over fertilization on lawns, ornamental plants and gardens. Symptoms of the disorder consist of browning on the tips of plants, or brown patches on lawns. Below the soil, fertilizer burn damages the plants roots, which can lead to yellowing of the plant and plant death. According to the American Orchid Society, salts from the fertilizer buildup over time, which makes it hard for the plant to absorb water, thus causing the appearance of a dried out plant. Preventing plant burn consist of avoiding over fertilization and testing soil nutrient levels, with either a university-based or private lab, to determine how much fertilizer to apply.

Phosphorus, a primary macronutrient in all fertilizer, synthetic and organic, is potentially devastating to lake ecosystems. According to the University of Minnesota, phosphorus contamination in lakes contributes to elevated growths of algae and weeds. The disturbed ecosystem can lead to a variety of problems for animals, plants and fish in the contaminated lake. Phosphorus runoff is a rare, but devastating occurrence with fertilizer use. Phosphorus runoff is rare because once applied to soil, it quickly fixes itself to the soil and is quickly utilized by plants, as it is a rare nutrient naturally found in the soil, states NASA. Prevention of over fertilization and applying fertilizer after rainfall are the best control for phosphorus runoff.