An Estimation of the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Loading by Wet Deposition over Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela

Abstract

In order to make an estimation of thewet deposition levels of the major nitrogen compoundsin Lake Maracaibo system, the precipitation wascollected by events at five sites located on shorearound the Lake from 1991 to 1994. Also the phosphorusconcentrations were determined in rain samples. RainpHs averaged about 5 to 6. NH₄ ⁺ levels weresignificantly higher (up to 1.44 mg L^-1NH₄-N) than NO₃ ^-plus NO₂ ^-ions which resulted in the highest pHs values in thestrait Maracaibo. The strait is the nearest zone toAmmonia Plant located upwind at the TablazoPetrochemical Complex. At the strait, theinorganic-nitrogen ((NH₄ + NO₃ +NO₂)-N) concentrations were greater than organicnitrogen levels, but at the other sites were lower.Phosphorus levels were low, ranging from undetectableto 1.5 mg L^-1; organic-P was estimated to accountfor about 40% of total-P. Total mean nitrogen wetdepositions were 6.93 kg ha^-1 yr^-1 (≈59% asNH₄-N) at the strait and 9.85–16.84 kg ha^-1yr^-1 (≈55% as organic-N) around the lakeshore.Inorganic and organic nitrogen account for about equalportions of the total nitrogen loading. These amountsrepresents ≈24% of the annual total-N inputsby the tributary rivers to the lake and aresubstantially higher than those reported in the shoreof Lake Valencia (north-central part of Venezuela) andother tropical areas. The contribution ofprecipitation to P in lake is very small; ≈0.6 kg ha^-1 of total-P are added annually. The N and Pinputs were greater than the sewage contributions. Themean molar ratio N/P is ≈22 at the straitsite whilst at lake sites the N/P ratio isconsistently >22 (about 35∼1 to 100∼1). The results of this preliminary study show that the atmosphere represents a significant factor for the total nitrogen loading to Lake Maracaibo system.