The Main Features of Phosphorus Transport in World Rivers

Abstract

Data on the geochemistry of phosphorus in the continental runoff of dissolved and solid substances were systematized and generalized, with a separate consideration of the processes of runoff transformation in river mouth areas. It has been established that atmospheric deposition, which many authors consider to be an important source of phosphorus in river runoff and not associated with mobilization processes in catchments, actually contains phosphorus from soil-plant recycling. This is confirmed by the fact that the input of phosphorus from the atmosphere into catchments exceeds its removal via water runoff. An analysis of the mass ratio of phosphorus in the adsorbed form and in the form of its own minerals was carried out. It was shown that the maximum mass of adsorbed phosphorus is limited by the solubility of its most stable minerals. The minimum concentrations of dissolved mineral and total phosphorus were observed in the rivers of the Arctic and subarctic belts; the maximum concentrations were confined to the most densely populated temperate zone and the zone of dry tropics and subtropics. In the waters of the primary hydrographic network, the phosphorus concentration exhibited direct relationships with the population density in the catchments and the mineralization of the river water and was closely correlated with the nitrogen content. This strongly suggests that economic activity is one of the main factors in the formation of river phosphorus runoff. The generalization of the authors’ and the literature’s data on the behavior of phosphorus at the river–sea mixing zone made it possible to draw a conclusion about the nonconservative distribution of phosphorus, in most cases associated with biological production and destruction processes. The conservative behavior of phosphorus was observed only in heavily polluted river mouths with abnormally high concentrations of this element.

Trace Element Composition of the Dissolved Matter Runoff of the Russian Arctic Rivers

“…Taking into account the ratio of the volumes of the long-term average water runoff of rivers according to[29,30] (with additions) 5. P min[31], Si[4], F[5], and other trace elements[6] 6. The obtained data are of the same order with the estimates of the long-term average concentrations of P min and Si, equal to 3.9 and 3450 µg/L for the Onega River, 11.1 and 2095 µg/L for the Severnaya Dvina River, and 7.2 and 2840 µg/L for the Mezen River, respectively, according to[32], and equal to 6.7 and 1990 µg/L for the Onega River, 13.0 and 2450 µg/L for the Severnaya Dvina River, and 40.2 and 2960 µg/L for the Pechora River, respectively, according to[28].…”

Airport Deicers: An Unrecognized Source of Phosphorus Loading in Receiving Waters

“…A recent meta-analysis of studies on phosphorus transport in surface waters found the average median concentrations of TP in world rivers to be between 28–85 μg L –1 . 53 When examining the deicing season samples collected at the four downstream sites, 62% were found to have TP concentrations that exceeded this range, and within this elevated group, 90% had contributions from ice control products. Of the 82 samples that were collected during deicing season at downstream sites, 57 (70%) were found to have TP concentrations that exceed phosphorus aquatic life guidelines for streams, indicating potential for harm to the aquatic ecology at the four sites receiving airport runoff.…”

“…A recent meta-analysis of studies on phosphorus transport in surface waters found the average median concentrations of TP in world rivers to be between 28–85 μg L –1 . When examining the deicing season samples collected at the four downstream sites, 62% were found to have TP concentrations that exceeded this range, and within this elevated group, 90% had contributions from ice control products.…”

Combined Effect of Climate and Anthropopressure on River Water Quality

“…In both years, the permissible P-PO 4 concentration was exceeded. In this case, a high content of phosphorous can be explained by the intensive decomposition of organic matter in the park, soil erosion, and, to a lesser extent, atmospheric precipitation [ 81 , 82 ]. The average annual WQIs at sites 15–17 located in the lower course of the river also corresponded to good quality water, but greater variability of some parameters during the year was observed.…”