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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Orono, Maine » New England Plant, Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #215477
Title: Phosphorus Composition in Lake Sediments From the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River Region and Southwestern China Plateau, China: a 31P NMR Study

Author
item ZHANG, RUNYU - CHINESE ACAD OF SCIENCES
item WU, FENGCHANG - CHINESE ACAD OF SCIENCES
item He, Zhongqi
item ZHENG, JIAN - NATL INST RADIOLOGICAL SC

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/7/2008
Publication Date: 1/15/2009
Citation: Zhang, R., Wu, F., He, Z., Zheng, J. 2009. Phosphorus Composition in Lake Sediments From the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River Region and Southwestern China Plateau, China: a 31P NMR Study. Journal of Environmental Quality. 38:353-359.

Interpretive Summary: The impact of phosphorus (P) on eutrophication of freshwater lakes is a pressing global environmental concern. In this study, P compounds in the sediments of seven lakes representing two contrasting ecological areas in China were investigated. Phosphorus in the sediments was extracted by NaOH–EDTA, and analyzed by solution P-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results from this work demonstrated significant differences in P forms from different lakes. More inorganic P was found in shallow lake sediments than in deep lake sediments. Information derived from this work improves our understanding of the P cycle in lake ecosystems.

Technical Abstract: Information on the chemical composition of sediment phosphorus (P) is fundamental to understanding P dynamics and eutrophication in lake ecosystems. In this study, P compounds were investigated in the sediments of seven lakes representing two contrasting ecological areas in China: the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River region and Southwestern China Plateau each with serious eutrophication conditions. Sediments were extracted by NaOH–EDTA, and extracts were analyzed by 31P NMR spectroscopy. Results show that the extracts were dominated by inorganic orthophosphate (76.7–97.4% of the extracted P) and orthophosphate monoesters (1.8–14.3%), with smaller amounts of orthophosphate diesters (0.4–8.9%), pyrophosphate (0.1–0.7%) and phosphonates (0.1–0.2%). DNA-P was the major constituent of diesters, with its presence associated with sediment bacteria. There existed significant differences in the occurrence of orthophosphate and monoesters in different lakes. The relative distribution of orthophosphate for hypertrophic or shallow lake sediments was higher than that for eutrophic and mesotrophic or deep lake sediments, while the relative distribution of monoester P was the opposite. This research improves our understanding of the P cycle in lake ecosystems.