A Sediment Diagenesis Model of Seasonal Nitrate and Ammonium Flux Spatial Variation Contributing to Eutrophication at Taihu, China

Linda Sarpong, Yiping Li, Eyram Norgbey, Amechi S. Nwankwegu, Yue Cheng, Salifu Nasiru, Isaac Kwesi Nooni and Victor Edem Setordjie
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Linda Sarpong: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Yiping Li: College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Eyram Norgbey: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Amechi S. Nwankwegu: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Yue Cheng: Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Salifu Nasiru: College of Mechanics and Materials, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Isaac Kwesi Nooni: School of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Victor Edem Setordjie: College of Coastal, Harbor and Offshore Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: Algal blooms have thrived on the third-largest shallow lake in China, Taihu over the past decade. Due to the recycling of nutrients such as nitrate and ammonium, this problem has been difficult to eradicate. Sediment flux, a product of diagenesis, explains the recycling of nutrients. The objective was to simulate the seasonal spatial variations of nitrate and ammonium flux. In this paper, sediment diagenesis modeling was applied to Taihu with Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC). Latin hypercube sampling was used to create an input file from twelve (12) nitrogen related parameters of sediment diagenesis and incorporated into the EFDC. The results were analyzed under four seasons: summer, autumn, winter, and spring. The concentration of NH 4 –N in the sediment–water column increased from 2.744903 to 22.38613 (g/m 3 ). In summer, there was an accumulation of ammonium in the water column. In autumn and winter, the sediment was progressively oxidized. In spring, low-oxygen conditions intensify denitrification. This allows algal blooms to continue to thrive, creating a threat to water quality sustainability. The sediment diagenesis model, coupled with water quality measured data, showed an average relative error for Total Nitrogen (TN) of 38.137%, making the model suitable. Future studies should simulate phosphate flux and measure sediment fluxes on the lake.

Keywords: diagenesis; nitrate; ammonium; sediment flux; water quality; algae; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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