Phosphorus speciation in sediments of Lake Hongfeng, China

This study was conducted to evaluate the distribution characteristics of phosphorus and its species in 14 sediments samples collected from Lake Hongfeng based on sequential extraction. Lake Hongfeng, a major drinking-water source for Guiyang City in southwestern China, is one of the largest artificial reservoirs located in a typical karstic area of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The results of this study indicate that the average percentages of DP, Al-P, Fe-P, Ca-P and OP in the lake sediments were 0.52, 6.59, 6.09, 42.85 and 40.27, respectively. The concentrations of organic phosphorus (OP) were lower than those of inorganic phosphorus (IP), which consisted mainly of calcium-bound phosphorus (Ca-P). The high concentrations of Ca-P may temporarily control the release of phosphorus from the sediments because it is a relatively stable, inert, and non-bioavailable phosphorus fraction. However, a large number of phosphate solubilizing bacteria can transform insoluble phosphate into bioavailable forms. Moreover, the concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) in the lake sediments were high; thus, the potential for the release of phosphorus from the sediments to the water column and phosphorus bioavailability were still significant. Further statistical analyses of the results revealed significant correlations between phosphorus species in sediments from the lake with two extractable principal component species (PCs) and five selectable cluster levels allowing interpretation of possible origins of phosphorus loading and the release of phosphorus. Furthermore, available remediation measures were briefly assessed for the lake with consideration of its distinctive environmental features.