Estimation of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Release Rates at Sediment-Water Interface of Nansi Lake, China

Abstract

At present, Nansi Lake restoration is maily focused on reducing extraneous pollution, however, it is unclear about the endogenous pollution. In this study, twelve intact sediment cores were collected from four sub-lakes (Nanyang Lake, Dushan Lake, Zhaoyang Lake and Weishan Lake) in Nansi Lake, and the fluxes of NH4+-N, PO43--P, NO3--N, TN and TP at sediment-water interface were calculated based on static incubation of sediment cores with a laboratory-scale benthic chamber. The incubation results showed fluxes of PO43--P, NO3--N, TN and TP in Nanyang Lake were the highest and as follows: 2.73, 7.55, 44.43 and 3.06 mg/m2.d, respectivly, and the flux of NH4+-N in Nanyang Lake, Dushan Lake and Zhaoyang Lake had little difference ranged from 8.99 to 10.19 mg/m2.d. This study indicated that during the sampling period sediment acted as a source of nitrogen as well as phosphorus to the overlying water body in Nansi Lake.