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Phosphorus & nitrogen in wastewater – what are the environmental issues?

Phosphorus & nitrogen in wastewater – what are the environmental issues?

When wastewater (from households, industry, commerce) is treated and then discharged into rivers, estuaries or coastal waters, it inevitably carries nutrients such as nitrogen (in various chemical forms) and phosphorus (often as phosphate). If these nutrients are not adequately removed, a number of environmental issues arise — especially in the UK where many freshwater and coastal systems are already under pressure.

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