Question | Answer |
What are 2 important plant nutrients | 1. nitrogen
2. phosphorous
3. potassium |
In the fertilizer industry, green house gas emissions are primarily associated with three industrial processes: | 1. ammonia production- only one that can be produced chemically
2. phosphoric acid production
3. nitric acid production
- recycling of secondary nutrients is necessary |
how important is nitrogen in fertilizers? | - production of corn for food and ethanol
- increase N2 = increase crop production |
eutrophication | addition of artificial or natural substances such as N2 or phosphorous through fertilizer or sewage to an aquatic system |
describe the eutrophication of agricultural runoff | 1. 85% freshwater flows into gulf of mexico
2. 64% originates from Mississippi river
lots of dead zones |
nitrate run off and human health | - nitrate= low toxicity, but reduction of nitrate = nitrite
- nitrite is toxic
- too much nitrogen= turns ur blood brown
- standard 10ppm |
How does bioenergy from biomass goals affect fertilizer usage? | - US has a very ambitious goal to meet bioenergy goal
- chemical fertilizer displaces farmland |
3 scenarios of bioenergy from biomass goals | 1. currently sustiainable agricultural crop residue
2. high crop yield increases without land use change
3. high crop yield increases with landuse change |
effects of bioenergy on fertilizer usage | scenario 4 will require an increase in overall nutrient fertilizer application of 5.5 times current application levels |