Distribution of organic phosphorus species in sediment profiles of shallow lakes and its effect on photo-release of phosphate during sediment resuspension

Abstract

In this work, the distribution of organic phosphorus (Po) species in sediment profiles of five shallow lakes was analyzed and its effect on the photo-release of dissolved phosphate (Pi) was investigated during sediment resuspension under simulated sunlight irradiation. The results show that Po was highly enriched in the surface sediment and gradually decreased as sediment depths increased: 33.10 ± 2.55–96.71 ± 7.60 mg/kg, 33.55 ± 2.34–142.86 ± 5.73 mg/kg, 57.50 ± 3.46–149.68 ± 7.67 mg/kg, 55.18 ± 4.67–168.73 ± 8.31 mg/kg, 98.75 ± 7.56–275.74 ± 10.70 mg/kg for Lake Hou, Lake Tuan, Lake Tangling, Lake Guozheng and Lake Miao, respectively. The photo-release amount of dissolved Pi in the resuspension composed of surface sediments was also higher than that of deep sediment during sediment resuspension under the simulated sunlight irradiation for 9 h. The potential reasons for these results are: (1) difference in morphology and composition of sediments at different depths: the mean particle size of sediment decreased first and then increased as sediment depths increased; (2) difference in composition of Po species with depths in the sediment profiles: more photolytic Po species existed in surface sediments confirmed by sequential extraction and 31P NMR analysis; and (3) more OH production in the resuspension composed of surface sediment under simulated sunlight irradiation, which directly influence the photo-release of dissolved Pi from photodegradation of organic phosphorus. All of these results indicate that the distribution of organic phosphorus species in the sediment profiles plays an important role in P cycle and its photodegradation during sediment resuspension may be one of the potential pathways for phosphate supplement in shallow lakes.