Nutrient exchange and release experiment and its simulation study in lake water-sediment interface

Article type: Research Article

Authors: XUE, Lian-qing | HAO, Zhen-chun

Affiliations: State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering; College of Water Resources and Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: lqxue@hhu.edu.cn

Abstract: The sediment distributed and insolated under lake was collected for experiments. The nutrient layer distribution conditions of sampled sediment and its physical and chemical characteristics were analyzed to simulate and assess the influence degree to lake water quality. Based on the dynamic water exchanging experiments the nutrient release process in sediment and influence mechanism to substance exchanging on water-sediment interface was studied, and the correlation between the changing content of total phosphors and total nitrogen in sediment and covered water were analyzed for setting up a simulation model. At the same time the influence degree is explained in detail. The experimental results indicated that even if clean water without nutrient contents was used for water exchangement so as to decrease pollution or prevent eutrophication, however owing to the vertical nutrient distribution in lake sediment, it will lead to the increasing release amount greatly especially when the organic nutrient contained in sediment turns into inorganic status because of isolation. Besides the release process of total phosphate (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) were modeled and each nutrient's exchanging equation at interface caused by covered water nutrient concentration changing was set up. According to the simulating prediction, TP and TN content of cover water will also sustain a steady higher level in a long period. The nutrient release amount of sediment is not only affected by the covered water concentration but also connects with accumulative time. The experiments provide the fundamental theoretical and practical basis for taking ecological restoration project. And research is helpful to prevent or restore lake eutrophication.

Keywords: phosphate and nitrogen release, water-sediment interface experiments, simulation model

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 591-595, 2006