UPSC 2016 CDS II GK Paper

Excessive use of phosphate and potassium may be responsible for the presence of a toxic substance in groundwater. The high-yield varieties need plenty of nutrients (and water),and are thus fueled by inorganic fertilisers that typically contain nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium. Phosphate- and potassium-based synthetic fertilisers leach into the groundwater and increase their toxicity