A Comprehensive Review of Eutrophication in Water Resources: From Identifying Contributing Factors to Proposing Management Strategies

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Faculty of Civil, Water, and Environmental Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, Iran

Abstract

Eutrophication, which refers to the excessive enrichment of water bodies with nutrients, has emerged as a significant global environmental and economic crisis. This complex ecological process primarily results from extensive human activities including the overuse of chemical fertilizers in agriculture, discharge of untreated domestic and industrial wastewater, and intensive livestock and aquaculture systems. The influx of large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds into aquatic ecosystems disrupts natural nutrient cycles, leading to algal blooms and ultimately severe depletion of dissolved oxygen (hypoxia). The devastating consequences of this phenomenon include biodiversity loss, the creation of dead zones in coastal waters, threats to fisheries and aquaculture industries, and substantial increases in water treatment costs for drinking and industrial purposes. To address this multifaceted challenge, various solutions have been proposed, including chemical methods (such as coagulants), physical approaches (like artificial aeration), and biological techniques (using nutrient-absorbing plants and microorganisms). However, international experience demonstrates that only through integrated management strategies—combining smart policymaking, continuous water quality monitoring, and the development of clean technologies in agriculture and industry, and active local stakeholder engagement—can we effectively control this problem and safeguard water resources for future generations.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 February 2025
  • Revise Date: 14 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 22 May 2025
  • First Publish Date: 24 May 2025

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