Distributions of total, inorganic and organic phosphorus in the sediments near the Huanghe River Estuary

Abstract

For some hundred surface sediment samples from five cores taken in two cruises near the Huanghe River Estuary, total phosphorus (TP), inorganic phosphorus (IP) and organic phosphorus (OP) were determined. On the average, 527×10−6, 455×10−6 and 72×10−6, were found for TP, IP and OP for the surface sediments taken in the two cruises. The distribution of OP and IP was controlled by the sample particle size: OP content increased with the decreasing of the sample particle size, while the maximal value of IP was found in the silt fraction due to the existence of apatite in our samples. Vertical distributions reflected well the channel change of the Huanghe River. Results from the multiple regressions between the three forms of phosphorus and the percentages of different particle size agreed well with the analytical data.