The effect of natural materials used as sediment remediation on phosphorus and nitrogen control in a mesocosm

Abstract

Background: Achieving nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) control in sediment remediation projects by adding natural materials is receiving increasing attention. In this study, different natural materials, including iron-rich clay minerals, calcite, kaoline, sugarcane bagasse and Phragmites detritus, were applied to test their effects on N and P in a mesocosm experiment. Results: Iron-rich clay minerals and Phragmites detritus had obvious advantages for P control; they resulted in almost undetectable levels of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in the water column throughout the experiment. This finding can be explained by their strong P adsorption ability. The high level of available organic carbon in the sediment and water column after sugarcane bagasse addition provided enough electron donors for denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), which caused nitrate (NO 3 −-N) deficiency and ammonium (NH 4 +-N) accumulation in the water column. Additionally, this resulted in anaerobic conditions, further fuelling the release of P from iron-bound P induced by anoxia. Thus, the amount of sugarcane bagasse applied should be considered carefully in order to balance denitrification and DNRA as well as P releases. Calcite and Phragmites detritus are recommended as remediation materials for N removal based on their significant promotion of denitrification and limitation of DNRA, which resulted in low NO 3 −-N and NH 4 +-N levels. These results can be explained by the shifts in the functional microbial community composition and abundance after the addition of natural materials. Conclusions: Iron-rich clay minerals and Phragmites detritus are promising sediment remediation materials for P immobilization due to their strong P adsorption ability. Taken together, the selection of sediment remediation materials should consider the N and P coupling relationship, to prevent NO 3 −-N removal from causing P leaching or NH 4 +-N accumulation.

Mechanisms and risks of joint control of nitrogen and phosphorus through sediment capping technology in a pilot-scale study

“…The P mobile fraction was transformed into a stable inert P fraction such as CaCO 3~P when lanthanum-modified materials were used as sorbents to immobilize P in the surface sediments of shallow eutrophic lakes (Lin et al 2016;Yin et al 2020). IR clay minerals were proven to be promising sediment remediation materials useful for P immobilization due to their strong P adsorption ability resulting from Fe-P iron binding (Tang et al 2020).…”

“…1). The substantial amount of available organic C in the sediment after addition of sugarcane bagasse fuelled the release of P from Fe(OOH)~P, which was induced by anoxia (Tang et al 2020). The intense biomineralization of organic matter and reduction of Fe-Mn oxide levels due to periods of anoxia resulted in transformations of the associated P fractions (Sudheesh et al 2017).…”

Embedding sustainability and SDGs in architectural and planning education: reflections from a KAP survey, Egypt

“…Use of non-toxic, sustainably manufactured, or recycled materials to conserve energy (Tang et al, 2020)…”

“…Principles of sustainable design call for (1) the use of non-toxic, sustainably manufactured, or recycled materials to conserve energy (Tang et al, 2020); (2) design for reuse and recycling (Chapman, 2009(Chapman, , 2015; (3) durability (Anastas and Zimmerman, 2003); (4) material diversity should be limited in multi-component goods to facilitate disassembly and value retention (Vallero and Brasier, 2008); (5) design impact (Mayyas et al, 2012) measures for total carbon footprint and life-cycle evaluation for all used resources are becoming increasingly necessary and accessible; (6) sustainable design standards (Ryan, 2000); ( 7) biomimicry (Daynes, 2022); and (8) adopting the principles of sharing economy (Curtis and Lehner, 2019) where the manner of consumption moves from personal ownership of objects to providing services that perform similar functions.…”

Screening of Raw and Modified Biochars from Food Processing Wastes for the Removal of Phosphates, Nitrates, and Ammonia from Water

“…The removal of nutrients from water can be achieved by various methods either by physicochemical or biological processes [3]. The sorption capacity of sorbents on nutrient removal depends on the material type, origin, and treatment [4]. Therefore, the choice of the optimal methodology for nutrient removal should be chosen considering the above factors.…”