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Phatsakorn Field Rodphol

Mr. Abel Cadias

English 10/ 10:02

May 16, 2017

How Nitrous Oxide Fertilizers Increase Warming in Thailand

The rate of Global Warming in Thailand has been affected by the use of fertilizers that

contain nitrous oxide which causes high rise in temperature. The purpose of this research

report is to identify how chemical fertilizer increases the amount of greenhouse gases that

cause global warming in Thailand. The importance of this research report is to describe

current situation of Global Warming that is caused by the use of nitrous oxide fertilizer in

Thailand. The pieces of information found in this research report are based on eight sources.

First, the article entitled Fertilizer use responsible for increase in nitrous oxide in

atmosphere shows how nitrogen fertilizers increase nitrous oxide (greenhouse gases)

emission into the atmosphere. Second, the article entitled What is nitrous oxide and why is it

important? describes the definition of nitrous oxide and why it is important for Global

Warming. Third, an article entitled The ground exhales: reducing agricultures greenhouse

gas emissions explains how to reduce greenhouse gases from farms and how to improve

nitrogen fertilizers formulation, timing, and placement. Fourth, the article entitled

Agriculture's Role On Global Warming suggests that 67% of nitrous oxide emission is

caused by agriculture. Next, the article entitled Main sources of nitrous oxide emissions

shows that soils under natural vegetation with nitrous oxide fertilizer produce 60% of natural

emissions. Moreover, the article entitled Perspective: Agricultures Role in Cutting

Greenhouse Gas Emissions explains how the advances in fertilizer technology could help

reduce nitrous oxide emissions such as time-release fertilizer. Finally, the article entitled
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Fertilizer Management to Reduce Nitrous Oxide Emissions points out four fertilizer

management strategies that can reduce the emission of nitrous oxide.

Nitrous Oxide Fertilizers and Global Warming

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a type of greenhouse gas that contributes to increase the rate of

global warming. In addition, nitrous oxides can stay in the atmosphere for more than 100

years and is about 300 times better at trapping heat than carbon dioxide is (Millar, Doll, and

Robertson, 2014). Little amount of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere will have large effects on

the global warming. It also destroys stratospheric ozone, which protects the planet from

harmful ultraviolet rays. United States Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.), suggested

that approximately 75% of the total nitrogen emission into the atmosphere was from

agriculture. When farmers add nitrous oxide fertilizers to their crops, the nitrogen fixing

bacteria such as rhizobium will convert nitrogen gases into ammonium. Most of nitrogen-

fixing bacteria will live in the root nodules of legumes. Furthermore, it will change nitrogen

into nitrogenous compounds because plant cannot use nitrogen from fertilizers directly.

This first process of making nitrous oxide emission into the atmosphere is called

nitrogen fixation, after nitrogen had been converted into ammonium by nitrogen-fixing

bacteria. Second, the nitrifying bacteria will convert ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates.

This process is called ammonification. Next, the process of denitrification will convert

nitrates into nitrogen gases by anaerobic bacteria and release into the atmosphere in the form

of greenhouses gases (Harrison, 2003). The most valuable place for reducing excess nitrogen

are wetland areas (Environmental monitor, 2010). For instance, a large increase in the use of

nitrogen fertilizer for the production of high nitrogen consuming crops such as corn has

increased the rate of nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture and increased the rate of global

warming. Typically, only 30% to 50% of nitrogen fertilizer can be absorbed and used by
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plants (What's Your Impact, 2017). A significant portion of the unabsorbed nitrogen fertilizer

will emit in the form of nitrous oxide (N 2O) back into the atmosphere and caused global

warming. Approximately 60% of nitrous emission in Thailand was from farm (The World

Bank Group, 2017).

The Effect of Nitrous Oxide Fertilizers

Nitrous oxide fertilizers that are emitted from farm can cause many impacts on global

warming such as ozone layer depletion (ozone hole), and the increasing of temperature and

atmospheric chemical reactions. In addition, it is also the main cause of air pollution and dead

zone in marine ecosystem, the increasing of the melting rate of glaciers, rising sea level, and

skin cancer. The nitrogen that is emitted from farm will go back into the atmosphere as

greenhouse gases that destroy the ozone layers and cause ozone layer's depletion and ozone

hole. Furthermore, nitrogen is one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to decrease the rate

of ozone building. The ozone layer's depletion has many effects on marine ecosystem, plants,

human health, and biogeochemical cycles. For instance, it increases the rate of skin cancer,

cataract, and allergies.

The nitrogen fertilizers that are used in farming will runoff into the ocean and destroy

marine ecosystem (deadzone). Deadzone areas are the areas that animal cannot survive

because these areas are low in oxygen level. Nitrogen in marine ecosystem can also increase

the rate of growth and reproductive rate of algae. As a large amount of algae dies and

decomposes, a lot of oxygen in water is used up (UCAR, 2017). Dead zones mostly occur at

the mouths of the rivers because fertilizers and other chemical sources such as livestock

waste and sewage were settled. This cause a lot of marine animal to die. The situation that

nitrogen fertilizers runoff to the waterway causing surplus nutrients is called eutrophication.
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Eutrophication in the fresh river, lake, canal causes aquatic weed to grow. Third, nitrogen

fertilizers that is emitted from farming agriculture can cause air pollution such as smog, and

acid rain. According to Crop Nutrition (2013), nitrogen fertilizers are the factors that limit the

nutrients in the soil and make soil acidified. According to Economics and Social Commission

for Asia and the Pacific (n.d.), nitrous oxide emission from farming in Thailand was

contribute about 0.8% of global nitrous oxide emission.

The Prevention of Nitrous Oxide Fertilizers

The greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere can be reduced by limiting the

amount of nitrous oxide fertilizers that are used in farming, and improving the nitrogen

fertilizers formation, timing, and placement. In addition, the use of nitrification inhibitors and

irrigation water management can also reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizers that is

discharged into the atmosphere. First, farmers should reduce the use of nitrous oxide

fertilizers in farming by applying fertilizers at the rates that the crops need. Furthermore, the

extra nitrogen fertilizers will increase the rate of nitrogen emission into the atmosphere. The

increase in the use of nitrogen fertilizers will result in higher emission rate, especially after

crop demands are met (Millar, Doll, and Robertson, 2014). Second, the change in nitrogen

fertilizers formation can alter the rate of nitrogen emission back in the atmosphere. Fertilizer

additive such as nitrification inhibitors will decrease the rate of denitrification. Moreover, the

formation of nitrate can be delay by using nitrification inhibitors until the time that plants will

use (Millar, Doll, and Robertson, 2014).

The improvement in timing can help reduce the emission rate by using fertilizers when

it is most needed by plant. Fertilizing the plant after few weeks, will help decreasing the rate

of nitrogen emission because most of the nitrogen will goes directly in the crops. But if
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farmers fertilize the plant before the first two weeks, most of the fertilizers will be lost into

the groundwater or emitted into the atmosphere. Fourth, farmers should improve nitrogen

fertilizers placement by fertilizing it close to the root of the plant. By improving nitrogen

fertilizers formation, timing, and placement, farmers can decrease the rate of nitrogen

emission from their farm. Also, they will have the contribute to decrease the rate of global

warming. According to the joint graduate school of energy and environment King Mongkuts

University of Technology Thonburi (2016), agriculture sector in Thailand has the potential to

reduce nitrous oxide emission, and decrease the rate of global warming within 10 years.

Conclusion

The purpose of this research report was to identify how chemical fertilizer increases the

amount of greenhouse gases that cause global warming in Thailand. Based on research

articles, this research report concluded how nitrous oxide fertilizers increase the rate of global

warming, the effects of nitrogen fertilizers, and the prevention of nitrous oxide fertilizers in

farming agriculture. The nitrous oxide fertilizers that was poured over the plant will convert

into the greenhouse gases. This greenhouse gases will emit back into the atmosphere and

destroy the ozone layers. For the situation in Thailand, the nitrous oxide fertilizers continue to

increase and makes the temperature in Thailand rises rapidly. Therefore, this research report

recommends additional studies on the alternatives way to fertilize the plants that are not cause

global warming.
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References

Agriculture's Role On Global Warming. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2017, from
https://www.arcadiabio.com/globalwarming_agriculturesrole

Elizabeth Bent Research Associate in Microbiology, University of Guelph. (2017, May 13).
The ground exhales: reducing agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions. Retrieved
May14, 2017, from
http://theconversation.com/the-ground-exhales-reducing- agricultures-greenhouse-
gas-emissions-40795

Management of Nitrogen Fertilizer to Reduce Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Field Crops
(E3152). (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2017, from
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/management_of_nitrogen_fertilizer_to_reduce_nitr
ous_oxide_emissions_from_fi

Main sources of nitrous oxide emissions. (2017, April 21). Retrieved May 14, 2017, from
http://whatsyourimpact.org/greenhouse-gases/nitrous-oxide-emissions

Management of Nitrogen Fertilizer to Reduce Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Field

Crops (E3152). (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2017, from
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/management_of_nitrogen_fertilizer_to_reduce_nitr
ous_oxide_emissions_from_fi

Mole, B. (2014, September 14). Fertilizer produces far more greenhouse gas than expected.
Retrieved March 23, 2017, from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/fertilizer-
produces-far-more-greenhouse-gas-expected

Nitrogen. (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2017, from http://www.cropnutrition.com/efu- nitrogen

Noosaeng, M. (n.d.). Academic. Retrieved May 15, 2017, from

http://www.jgsee.kmutt.ac.th/v2/index2.php

Overview of Greenhouse Gases. (2017, April 14). Retrieved May 15, 2017, from
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases#nitrous-oxide

The Changing Nitrogen Cycle. (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2017, from
https://scied.ucar.edu/longcontent/changing-nitrogen-cycle
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University, M. S. (n.d.). How much fertilizer is too much for the climate? Retrieved
March 23, 2017, from http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/how-much-fertilizer-is-
too-much-for-the-climate/