How Do Nitrates and Nitrites Affect Drinking Water?

What are Nitrates and Nitrites and how are they used?

Nitrates and nitrites are nitrogen-oxygen chemical units which join with other organic and inorganic compounds. When nitrates enter the body, they are changed into nitrites. Nitrates are an important fertilizer...

Because of this the EPA has setup a standard enforced by law called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). MCLs are setup as close to the MCLGs as possible, with special consideration of ability of public water systems to find and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies.

The standard MCL for nitrates has been set at 10 ppm, and for nitrites at 1 ppm, because the EPA believes, given present technology and resources, this is the lowest level to which water systems can remove this contaminant if it is detected in drinking water.

The drinking water standards and the regulations for making sure that these standards are met, are called National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. All public water supplies must comply with these regulations National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.

Do Nitrates and Nitrites have any known health implications?

Yes! Nitrates and nitrites have got serious effects that can be grouped into long term and short term effects.

Short-term: High levels of nitrate in drinking water have resulted in serious illness and loss of life. The serious illness in infants is because of the transformation of nitrate to nitrite by the body, which can disturb flow of oxygen in the blood of children. This can be an serious health problem in which health oxygen levels decreases rapidly over a short time period. Symptoms include blueness of the skin and shortness of breath.
Long-term: Nitrates and nitrites have the potential to cause the following effects from a lifetime exposure at levels above the MCL: diuresis, increased starchy deposits and hemorrhaging of the spleen.

How much Nitrates and Nitrites are produced and released to the environment?

The majority of materials in water with nitrogen can be changed into nitrate, so all sources of combined nitrogen, particularly organic nitrogen and ammonia, should be considered as potential sources of nitrate. Main sources of organic nitrates include human sewage and livestock manure, especially from feedlots.

The primary inorganic nitrates which may contaminate drinking water are potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate both of which are widely used as fertilizers.

What happens to Nitrates and Nitrites when they are released into the environment?

Nitrates are very soluble and tend not to bind with the soil. They thus have a high potential to move into ground water. Nitrates and Nitrites do not evaporate easily and remain in water until consumed by plants or other organisms..

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