ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Authorities are keeping tabs on three nitrate plumes in groundwater on Kirtland Air Force Base.
The nitrate plumes are in addition to the toxic groundwater plume that resulted from a decades-long jet fuel leak at the base.
The Albuquerque Journal reports nitrates can be naturally occurring and are caused by septic systems and fertilizers, and they biodegrade over time.
High levels of nitrate are harmful to humans and can lead to “blue baby syndrome,” caused when blood cells are unable to transport oxygen.
Scott Clark of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center says above-allowable levels are present in each of the three plumes, but all are within base boundaries and far from drinking well locations.
Clark says the situation doesn’t pose an imminent threat to human health.
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Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com
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