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Environment Escapes Ammonia Damage - So Far

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 13, 2007

TAMPA - The anhydrous ammonia cloud that billowed over the Alafia River for more than a day seemed to have caused little environmental damage, according to an early assessment by the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission.

EPC scientists who monitored the water Tuesday saw no evidence of fish kills or extensive damage to vegetation on the riverbanks. For their own safety, however, the scientists were kept at least a half mile from the leaking pipe at the U.S. 301 bridge.

If the leak has been contained by this morning, scientists will go out to test water closer to the bridge.

The large volumes of ammonia that firefighters contained by spraying water into the escaping gas plume could cause problems later. Ammonia is a form of nitrogen, a nutrient that can cause algae growth in water. When the algae decomposes, it consumes oxygen in the water that fish and smaller aquatic creatures need to breathe, which could lead to fish kills.

"It's safe to say thousands of pounds of nitrogen got in the water," said Tony D'Aquila, EPC environmental resources manager. "When that algae bloom dies, it could have an impact on dissolved oxygen later on."

Anhydrous ammonia can be very toxic in tiny amounts, said Jim Wysong, a professor who heads the science department at Hillsborough Community College's Brandon campus. He said spraying the gas with water changes it into the unionized [no electric charge] form of ammonia, which is toxic to fish.

"About half a cup of the unionized ammonia … in a million gallons of water is toxic to freshwater invertebrates and to some fish," Wysong said. Invertebrates are the small, spineless creatures that live at the river bottom and form the bottom rung of the food chain.

Another danger is that an incoming tide could keep the pollution in the same place instead of allowing the contaminated water to flow into Tampa Bay, where it could be diluted further. If it lingers, the danger level rises for aquatic life near the bridge.

"The potential is there for some degradation there for sure," D'Aquila said. "But until we get there, we're just guessing."

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.

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