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Research article2017Peer reviewed

Aluminum application to restore water quality in eutrophic lakes: maximizing binding efficiency between aluminum and phosphorus

Huser, Brian J.

Abstract

Huser BJ. 2017. Aluminum application to restore water quality in eutrophic lakes: maximizing binding efficiency between aluminum and phosphorus. Lake Reserv Manage. 33:143-151.Aluminum (Al), typically added to lakes to reduce internal cycling of legacy phosphorus (P) in sediment, was added to the littoral zone of Lake Harriet (Minnesota) to inhibit the uptake of sediment P by buoyancy regulating species of plankton. Analytical results from sediment collected over an 11-year period showed that the added Al (32 g/m(2)) started to move outside the treatment zone almost immediately after treatment, with <5% remaining within the treatment area after 6 months. Although the original treatment design failed, the application method was, unexpectedly, a success with respect to binding efficiency between Al and P in the sediment. As the Al drifted to deeper areas of the lake, internal P release in non-treated, deeper areas of the lake declined and the binding ratio between Al and Al-bound P decreased, reaching 2.1 (molar) in profundal sediments 10years after treatment. The increased contact with available (mobile) sediment P increased binding efficiency, resulting in a 163-581% increase of P bound per unit Al compared to previous whole-lake aluminum treatments. The binding efficiency exceeded expectations showing that, in addition to the amount of Al added, treatment location and subsequent translocation of the Al floc can substantially affect binding efficiency and treatment effectiveness.

Keywords

Alum; aluminum sulfate; internal loading; mobile phosphorus; sediment

Published in

Lake and reservoir management
2017, Volume: 33, number: 2, pages: 143-151 Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC

    Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG6 Clean water and sanitation

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources
    Geochemistry
    Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10402381.2016.1235635

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/86271