The Effect of Trisodium Phosphate on Water-Borne Plants

Ecosystem Imbalance

• Phosphates such as TSP usually enter freshwater systems via industrial processes or home activities such as car-washing, entering through the sewer system. They upset the natural balance by fostering the growth of some species to the detriment of others. This can affect even the smallest species, such as phytoplankton and zooplankton, on up to large species such as fish. When the ecosystem is upset, the natural feeding, breeding and growth processes of many aquatic organisms become disrupted.

Algal Blooms

• TSP is toxic to many aquatic organisms, but it favors the growth of others. Some types of algae, for instance, have historically prospered with additions of TSP to their environment. Diatoms, green algae and blue-green algae all show abnormal growth patterns when exposed. When population growth changes are large enough, the proliferation sucks all of the available oxygen out of the water, depriving aquatic plants and other organisms of necessary air.

Surface Tension Effects

• When TSP enters water systems, it lowers the surface tension of the affected water. Because surface tension helps to keep poisonous substances from contacting the surface of aquatic animals and plants, lowering the surface tension effectively puts them at risk for other toxins already in the water, including those produced by algal blooms. Although fish, whose mucous membranes and gills are hardest hit, are most at risk, the effects extend to all aquatic organisms.

Safety Precautions

• Because freshwater systems of all types exhibit disruptions caused by additions of phosphates to the water, your own pond or stream may be at risk if you allow detergents and soaps to bleed into waterways. Although TSP is no longer widely available on its own, it still makes the ingredients list for many home products, so check labels before using such products. When you must use them, wear protective clothing, eye goggles and gloves, as TSP can be caustic, depending on concentration.