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Characterization of phosphorus forms in lake macrophytes and algae by solution 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

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Abstract

Debris from aquatic macrophytes and algae are important recycling sources of phosphorus (P), which can result in continuing blooms of algae by recycling bioavailable P in the eutrophic lakes. However, knowledge of forms of P in aquatic macrophytes and algae and their contribution to internal loads of P in lakes is limited. Without such knowledge, it is difficult to develop appropriate strategies to remediate and or restore aquatic ecosystems that have become eutrophic. Therefore, in this work, P was extracted from six types of aquatic macrophytes and algae collected from Tai Lake of China and characterized by use of solution 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. When extracted by 0.5 M NaOH-25 mM EDTA, extraction recovery of total P(TP) and organic P(Po) exceeded 90 %. Concentrations of Po in algae and aquatic macrophytes were 5552 mg kg−1 and 1005 mg kg−1 and accounted for 56.0 and 47.2 % of TP, respectively. When Po, including condensed P, was characterized by solution 31P-NMR Po in algae included orthophosphate monoesters (79.8 %), pyrophosphate (18.2 %), and orthophosphate diester (2.0 %), and Po in aquatic macrophytes included orthophosphate monoesters (90.3 %), pyrophosphate (4.2 %), and orthophosphate diester (5.5 %). Additionally, orthophosphate monoesters in algal debris mainly included β-glycerophosphate (44.1 %), α-glycerophosphate (13.5 %), and glucose 6-phosphate (13.5 %). Orthophosphate monoesters in aquatic macrophytes mainly included β-glycerophosphate (27.9 %), α-glycerophosphate (24.6 %), and adenosine 5′ monophosphate (8.2 %). Results derived from this study will be useful in better understanding nutrient cycling, relevant eutrophication processes, and pollution control for freshwater lakes.

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Acknowledgments

This present study was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41403094, 41403743, 41261140337). Prof. Giesy was supported by the Canada Research Chair program, the Einstein Professor Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Great-Tier Foreign Scholar program (#GDT20143200016), funded by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, the P. R. China to Nanjing University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Weiying Feng

  2. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Weiying Feng, Yuanrong Zhu, Fengchang Wu, Wei Meng & John P. Giesy

  3. Department of Biomedical Veterinary Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B3, Canada

    John P. Giesy

  4. School of Biology Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    John P. Giesy

  5. Southern Regional Research Center, USDA-ARS, New Orleans, LA, 70124, USA

    Zhongqi He

  6. Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Lirong Song

  7. The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH, 45252, USA

    Mingle Fan

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  1. Weiying Feng
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  2. Yuanrong Zhu
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Correspondence to Yuanrong Zhu or Fengchang Wu.

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Feng, W., Zhu, Y., Wu, F. et al. Characterization of phosphorus forms in lake macrophytes and algae by solution 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 7288–7297 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5913-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5913-5

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