Ammonia nitrogen is a common organic nitrogen compound that plays an important role in aquatic ecosystems. Here are some of the roles of ammonia nitrogen in water.
First, ammonia nitrogen can be supplied as nutrients to plankton and benthic organisms. When ammonia nitrogen enters the environment, it combines with dissolved oxygen to form nitrite, a source of nitrogen that can be easily utilized by microorganisms. Therefore, the presence of ammonia nitrogen provides phytoplankton with the nutrients they need to grow, promoting the prosperity of the entire ecosystem.
Secondly, ammonia nitrogen can also affect the color and quality of water. When the concentration of ammonia nitrogen is too high, the water will appear yellow or brown because the ammonia nitrogen reacts with iron ions to form a yellow ferric ferricanide precipitate. The presence of this sediment can affect the transparency of the water body, reduce the photosynthesis efficiency of the water body, and thus adversely affect aquatic life. In addition, excessive ammonia nitrogen can lead to the accumulation of organic pollutants in water bodies, further deteriorating water quality.
Finally, ammonia nitrogen may also cause some health problems. When ammonia nitrogen levels exceed a certain limit, it may have toxic effects on the human body and cause a series of disease symptoms such as headaches, nausea, etc. For fish and other aquatic animals, high concentrations of ammonia nitrogen can also cause damage to their physiology and may even lead to death.
In summary, the role of ammonia nitrogen in aquatic ecosystems is very important and complex. Although its excessive use will have a negative impact on the environment and water quality, reasonable control of its concentration is still one of the important means to protect the aquatic ecology.