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This is an area where genetic modification can really help. If plants improve their nitrogen efficiency then both the total amount of fertilizer and the runoff can be significantly reduced.

http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/pocketk/46/defau...

I am surprised it is that low.

So? Most of the water in our bodies probably passed through industrial water treatment plants, too.

Also, the website is down.

> Resource Limit Is Reached

You can find it in the cache here: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3Ahttp...

Are you responding to a since changed title?

I think the main point in the article is that fixed nitrogen is incredibly important to modern society and that we are not paying enough attention to one of the consequences of that.

This doesn't surprise me either... I'm actually surprised that only 1-2% of our energy goes to nitrogen fixation through the Haber ammonia process. That it makes up half of all nitrogen fixed and used by plant and animal foods isn't all that amazing either.

It's comparable to the water we consume (in foods and plants as well as drinks last going through a treatment plant. That might be 50%, editorially if you drink a lot of water.

Nitrates and Ammonium