A little light reading on organics for those that care ; update tomarrow!!
http://geogrowers.net/Organic_Fertilizer.html
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAN
The process of using naturally present microorganisms to clean up oil spills is called bioremediation. Unfortunately the process wont work out at sea and can only be used when the oil reaches shore which is what the coast guard and clean-up workers are currently trying to prevent. The microorganisms, even without fertilizers, will begin to chow down on the oil when it enters their natural habitat. So, with the addition of sulfate or nitrate fertilizers the microorganism multiply beyond their natural state and eat up the toxic metals invading their home at up to five times the rate that they would without assistance.
There is a side effect to this process, however Isnt there always? It is possible that after the microorganisms devour the massive oil spill they could introduce the heavy metals present in the spill into the food chain. Larger organisms eat them and on up the ladder until it reaches humans. So though bioremediation may be lessening the initial impact of oil spills on the surrounding waters it could be introducing that very oil spill into our diets.
While urea is, indeed, an organic compound, it will not support the*
bacterial growth that is essential for the formation of humus. When urea is*
metabolized, the products are ammonia and carbon dioxide. Thus, urea*
yields carbon in a form that will not support the oxidative metabolism of*
solid bacteria. To accomplish that, carbon must be in the reduced state,*
combined with hydrogen, as it is in the nearly all more complex organic*
compounds. Although urea is an organic compound, by failing to support*
the growth of soil bacteria, and therefore the formation of humus, it does*
not qualify as an "organic fertilizer."
The intensive use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizer (or urea) may so overload*
a humus-depleted soil with nitrate as to cause it to leach into surface*