Elution Behavior of Nutrient Salts from Sediment and
its Impact on Water Bodies

Wada, Keiko; Haruki, Fumio; Ishita, Kyoji; Okada, Yuki

doi:2010.15.1.41

Environmental Engineering Research 2010;15(1): 41-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4491/eer.2010.15.1.041

Elution Behavior of Nutrient Salts from Sediment and its Impact on Water Bodies

Keiko Wada¹^†, Fumio Haruki², Kyoji Ishita³, and Yuki Okada¹

¹Lake Biwa - Yodo River Water Quality Preservation Organization, OMM Bldg. 13F, 1-7-31 Otemae, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-6591, Japan
²Kinki Regional Development Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 1-5-4, Otemae, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-8586, Japan
³Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd., 3-6-3, Hakataekihigashi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, 812-0013, Japan

Corresponding Author: Keiko Wada ,Tel: +81-6-6920-3035, Fax: +81-6-6920-3036, Email: wada@byq.or.jp

Received: March 1, 2010; Accepted: March 15, 2010.

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the influence of nutrient salts eluted from the bottom of a closed water area where polluted sediment has been deposited by inflowing river water. The elution pattern was monitored at our experimental facility. Both the sediment pore water and water above the bottom were sampled using a dialyzer sampler (peeper). The pore water of the eutrophicated sediment contained a large amount of nutrient salts, and the effect of elution was confined to a limited area of the bottom surface. The nutrient concentration of the sediment pore water was closely related to both the water temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration. The eluted nutrients from the sediment provided a source for phytoplankton and algae growth. This experimental data indicated that the water quality of the surface was not directly connected to the eluted nutrient salts, while it was indirectly affected by the total ecosystem, including all the organisms within an area and their environment.

Keywords: Sediment pore water | Dialysis | Nitrogen | Phosphorus | Elution