Characterization of sedimentary phosphorus in Lake Erie and on-site quantification of internal phosphorus loading

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116525

Language of the publication
English
Date
2020-10-14
Type
Article
Author(s)
  • Wang, Y. T.
  • Zhang, T. Q.
  • Zhao, Y. C.
  • Ciborowski, J. H. H.
  • Zhao, Y. M.
  • O'Halloran, I. P.
  • Qi, Z. M.
  • Tan, C. S.
Publisher
Elsevier

Abstract

Lake Erie harmful algal blooms and hypoxia are two major environmental problems, and have severe impacts on human health, aquatic ecosystems, and the economy. However, little is known about internal loading of phosphorus (P) from sediments, which pose a challenge for assessing the efficacy of current conservation measures on the improvement of lake water quality. A modified Hedley's extraction procedure was employed to analyze representative sediment samples collected from the Lake Erie basin for assessing sedimentary P stock, potential availability for release into lake water, and internal P loading. Inorganic and organic P in the sediments were characterized by sequential extractions in H2O, 0.5 M NaHCO3, 0.1 M NaOH, and 1.0 M HCl, respectively. In the 0 – 10 cm sediment, total P stock was 172, 191, and 170 metric tons km−2 in the western, central, and eastern basins, respectively. Sedimentary P seems unlikely to contribute to internal P loading in the western basin, while in the eastern basin it can potentially contribute to an internal loading of 359 metric tons P yr−1. In the central basin, 41% of organic P, 15% of non-HCl extractable inorganic P, and 9.7% of residual P in the 0 – 10 cm sediment is potentially available for release into lake water; in the 10 – 20 cm sediment, organic P extracted by NaHCO3 and NaOH is also partially available. The central basin potentially contributes to internal P loading at a total amount of 10,599 metric tons yr−1. Internal P loading may not contribute to HABs in the western basin, but it can cause and maintain hypoxia in the central basin and delay the recovery of lake water quality for a lengthy time period in response to external P reduction measures.

Description

Published online in 2020. Published in print in 2021.

Subject

  • Nature and environment

Keywords

  • Erie, Lake,
  • Érié, Lac,
  • Eau--Teneur en phosphore,
  • Water--Phosphorus content,
  • Sédiments lacustres

Rights

Pagination

1-10

Peer review

Yes

Open access level

Gold

Identifiers

ISSN
0043-1354

Article

Journal title
Water Research
Journal volume
188
Article number
116525
Accepted date
2020-10-14
Submitted date
2020-05-05

Citation(s)

Wang, Y. T., Zhang, T. Q., Zhao, Y. C., Ciborowski, J. H. H., Zhao, Y. M., O'Halloran, I. P., Qi, Z. M., & Tan, C. S. (2021). Characterization of sedimentary phosphorus in Lake Erie and on-site quantification of internal phosphorus loading. Water Research, 188, Article 116525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116525

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