Book excerpt: Fertilizers contribute to the variety, abundance, and low cost of food stuffs available to the public. However, fertilizer misuse can lower air, soil, and water quality. Regulators are scrutinizing fertilizers now more than ever because of their impact on the environment. This book provides an analysis of perchlorate in highly dissolved solid matrices and health issues of trace metals in fertilizers. This book focuses on nutrient impacts to water and the environment. Contributors include state and federal regulators, industry professionals, environmental consultants, and those in academia.