ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Magnitude of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Delivered
to Baltic Sea via Polish Rivers
Andrzej Sapek
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Institute for Technology and Life Science at Falenty, 05-090 Falenty, Hrabska 3, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2014;23(6):2191-2198
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the presented paper is to recognize the impact of the Baltic Sea drainage basin, located
on Polish territory, on nitrogen and phosphorus riverrine exports to sea. Yearly figures from 1990 to 2011 in
Statistical Yearbooks were used. Figures comprising data before were not presented. Load of substance transferred
was significantly correlated with water inflow to sea. No trend to increase the load of total and nitrate
and total nitrogen was observed, though significant trends to decrease the loads of ammonia nitrogen and phosphate
phosphorus were ascertained. Nitrogen and phosphorus loads in wastewater discharged after its purification
were significant. The greatest future risk to the Baltic Sea environment is the huge amount of phosphorus
application in agriculture in the drainage basin.