Arid Zone Research ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (12): 2035-2044.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2024.12.06

• Land and Water Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Phosphorous distribution patterns and release risks in the riparian zone sediments of the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River

WANG Ruofan(), LIU Yuxin, LI Peigang, TANG Yue, XIE Wei   

  1. Gansu Key Laboratory of Yellow River Water Resources, College of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2024-06-20 Revised:2024-09-12 Online:2024-12-15 Published:2024-12-20

Abstract:

Phosphorus pollution is a significant concern in aquatic systems, as excessive accumulation can lead to eutrophication. The riparian zone, a vital transitional area between land and water, is crucial for mitigating phosphorous loss. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the forms and distribution characteristics of phosphorus in the sediments of the riparian zone along the Yellow River in Lanzhou using the SMT method and the Psenner classification extraction method. Additionally, we assessed the risk of phosphorus release using the balance concentration assessment method, single-factor analysis, and the bioavailable phosphorus pollution index. The results indicate that the average total phosphorus content in the sediments of the study area is relatively high, measuring 1240.07 mg∙kg-1, with inorganic phosphorus as the dominant form, primarily calcium phosphorus. The phosphorus balance concentration in the sediments exceeds that of dissolved reactive phosphorus in the overlying water, indicating that the sediments act as a “phosphorus source” for the overlying water. Furthermore, evaluations of the single-factor pollution index and the bioavailable phosphorus pollution index reveal that while total phosphorus pollution in the area is primarily classified as heavy, the ecological pollution status of phosphorus in the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River is relatively good.

Key words: Northwest China, the Yellow River Basin, riparian zone, phosphorus forms, phosphorus release risk