TITLE:
Speciation and Mobility of Phosphate in the Eutrophic Ponds at Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York, USA
AUTHORS:
Ying Liu, Zhongqi Cheng, Brett F. Branco, John F. Marra
KEYWORDS:
Phosphate, Eutrophication, Speciation, Nutrient Loading
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.5 No.6,
June
12,
2017
ABSTRACT:
The water system at the Prospect Park ponds of Brooklyn, NY has been receiving chronic loads of orthophosphate from the municipal water since the mid ’90s. The ponds are currently eutrophic with degraded water quality and high levels of P in the sediment. In this study, the distribution and speciation of P within the water column was examined. The dominant form of P in the water was found as soluble reactive phosphate (SRP) and the temporal change of SRP indicated significant internal loading from the sediment during late summer in the ponds downstream. Lake sediment was investigated for P fractionation and phosphate bound to Fe-hydroxides was the dominant form of P in the sediment. Both external and internal P pools are important and should be taken into consideration when planning for restoration.