Species and Biogeochemical Cycles of Organic Phosphorus in Sediments From a River With Different Aquatic Plants Located in Huaihe River Watershed, China

Abstract

The results of phosphorus fractionation in the sediments from a contaminated river containing different aquatic plants, analyzed by solution ³¹P-NMR for Organic Phosphorus, showed that the concentration of Inorganic Phosphorus dominated in all species and Organic Phosphorus accounted for over 20% of Total Phosphorus. In general, orthophosphate was dominant in all the sampling sites. The proportion of Organic Phosphorus accounting for the Total Phosphorus in the sediments with different plant decreased in the following order: Paspalum distichum > Typha orientalis > Hydrilla verticillata. Phosphorus-accumulation ability of Paspalum distichum was obviously stronger than Typha orientalis and Hydrilla verticillata. The Organic Phosphorus was in aquatic plants dominated by humic-associated P (Hu-P), which converted to Inorganic Ohosphorus more significantly in submerged plants than in emerged plants. The sediment dominated by Paspalum distichum abundantly accumulated Organic Phosphorus in the orthophosphate monoester fraction. The degradation and mineralization of orthophosphate monoester was the important source of high Inorganic Phosphorus concentration and net primary productivity in Suoxu River. The Organic Phosphorus derived from Typha orientalis and Hydrilla verticillata was dramatically converted to Inorganic Phosphorus when the environmental factors varied.

Keywords:

• aquatic plant
• sediments
• organic phosphorus
• species and biogeochemical cycles
• ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (2012ZX07204-004), the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (2012ZX07204-001-004), National Natural Science Foundation of China (41071320) and National Basic Research Program of China (2012CB956100).