Abstract
Sulfate and nitrate removal, and the resulting sulfuric and nitric acid neutralization within acid-sensitive lakes, were predicted from a simple model requiring knowledge only of water residence time, mean depth, and average mass transfer coefficients for nitrate and sulfate removal. The model applies to lakes with oxic hypolimnia which are typical of acid-sensitive lakes. Average mass transfer coefficients for sulfate and nitrate were obtained by two independent methods which agreed well with each other. A model such as this is necessary for predicting the rates at which different lakes acidify and recover from acidification, and explains why lakes with short water residence times are especially susceptible to acidification.
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Kelly, C.A., Rudd, J.W.M., Hesslein, R.H. et al. Prediction of biological acid neutralization in acid-sensitive lakes. Biogeochemistry 3, 129–140 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02185189
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02185189