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Phosphate oxygen isotope in river sediments and its potential sources in Chaohu watershed, China

  • Sediments, Sec 2 • Physical and Biogeochemical Processes • Research Article
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Abstract

Purpose

Source tracking of phosphorus is critical to its management, and would mitigate eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. Here, we analyzed the oxygen isotope composition (δ18Op) of acid-soluble phosphates in river sediments (NF, SW, FL, HB, TY, QY, ZG, and XZG) and the end-member sources along a eutrophic lake to identify potential sources of phosphorus in the Chaohu watershed, China.

Methods

We collected sediments from eight inflow rivers along the Chaohu watershed and local end-member sources of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents, chemical fertilizers, and phosphate rock and weathered soils (PRWS). We extracted acid-soluble phosphates from these samples and prepared pure Ag3PO4 for oxygen isotope analysis.

Results

The δ18Op values of the end members are distinct, with a range of 15.0–17.3‰ for WWTP effluents, 13.8–14.6‰ for chemical fertilizers, and 11.0–13.5‰ for PRWS. The δ18Op values in NF, SW, and XZG overlap with WWTP effluents and are close to the equilibrium O-isotope (δ18Op-equ), indicating a source from domestic wastewater. The δ18Op values of the headwater sites NF1, HB1, TY1, and QY1 overlap those of PRWS, indicating sources from natural weathering runoff. However, those in the midstream sites indicate multiple sources: from chemical fertilizers in agricultural areas and domestic runoff in the sites near town. The δ18Op of ZG overlaps with δ18Op-equ and limits its indication of the sources.

Conclusions

Oxygen isotopes of acid-soluble phosphates in sediments have potential indications of their sources. We found different phosphorus sources for the inflow rivers, providing a foundation for managing phosphorus discharge in the Chaohu watershed.

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Funding

This work was funded by the University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province (KJ2019A0042), and the Key Research and Development Program of Anhui Province (201904a07020071).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China

    Tao Huang, Ju Wang, Zifu Xu, Qianqian Wu, Chengcheng Bu & Qingye Sun

  2. Anhui Shengjin Lake Wetland Ecology National Long-Term Scientific Research Base, Dongzhi, 247230, China

    Tao Huang

  3. Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China

    Tao Huang

  4. Ministry of Natural Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen, 361005, China

    Xijie Yin

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  1. Tao Huang
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  2. Ju Wang
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  3. Zifu Xu
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Correspondence to Tao Huang.

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Huang, T., Wang, J., Xu, Z. et al. Phosphate oxygen isotope in river sediments and its potential sources in Chaohu watershed, China. J Soils Sediments 22, 1585–1596 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03186-z

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