Iron-coupled inactivation of phosphorus in sediments by macrozoobenthos (chironomid larvae) bioturbation: Evidences from high-resolution dynamic measurements

Musong Chen; Shiming Ding; Ling Liu; Di Xu; Chao Han; Chaosheng Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2015.04.031

Iron-coupled inactivation of phosphorus in sediments by macrozoobenthos (chironomid larvae) bioturbation: Evidences from high-resolution dynamic measurements

Environ Pollut. 2015 Sep:204:241-7. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.04.031. Epub 2015 May 14.

Authors

Musong Chen¹, Shiming Ding², Ling Liu³, Di Xu⁴, Chao Han⁴, Chaosheng Zhang⁵

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China. Electronic address: smding@niglas.ac.cn.
³ College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
⁵ GIS Centre, Ryan Institute and School of Geography and Archaeology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.

PMID: 25984983
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2015.04.031

Abstract

The effects of chironomid larvae bioturbation on the lability of phosphorus (P) in sediments were investigated through sediment incubation for 140 days. High-resolution dialysis (HR-Peeper) and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) techniques were applied to obtain soluble and labile P/Fe profiles at a millimeter resolution, respectively. The larvae bioturbation decreased concentrations of soluble/labile P and Fe by up to over half of the control at the sediment depths of influence up to 70 and 90 mm respectively. These effects continued over 116 days and disappeared on the 140th days due to eclosion of chironomid larvae. Labile P was highly correlated with labile Fe, while a weak correlation was observed between soluble P and soluble Fe. It was concluded that Fe(II) oxidation and its enhanced adsorption were the major mechanisms responsible for the decreases of soluble and labile P.

Keywords: Bioturbation; Lake Taihu; Phosphorus; Sediment; ZrO-Chelex DGT.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Animals
Chironomidae*
Geologic Sediments / chemistry*
Iron / chemistry*
Larva
Oxidation-Reduction
Phosphorus / chemistry*
Solubility
Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry*

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Phosphorus
Iron