Study of Particle Granularity Impact on Nutrient Concentration

Abstract

Sediments, detached through water erosion, play an important role in elemental cycling in the aquatic environment. They are responsible for transporting a significant proportion of many hazardous contaminants that are preferentially attached to the high surface area of the finest particles (fractions below 63 microns). Contaminants also mediate their uptake, storage, release and transfer between environmental compartments. Especially nutrients binding to sediments are the important pollution source because they may cause eutrophication what results in a reduction in the dissolved oxygen content of the water, thus killing off much of the animal and plant life.
This contribution is presenting the results of the particle size distribution analysis of sediment samples from Klusov reservoir (Eastern Slovakia) and its effect on the total nutrient concentration in reservoir bottom sediments. Bottom sediment samples were analyzed for total nitrogen by elemental analysis (EA) and for total phosphorus using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) technique. The particle size distribution of the sediment samples was performed using a Malvern Mastersizer 2000 with a Hydro 2000S wet dispersion unit. The particle size distribution results indicate that the fine-grained sediments (< 63 µm in particle diameter) are transported and deposited toward the dam. The results of chemical analyses proved the dependence between the total nutrient concentrations in sediments and their particle size. The highest nutrient contents in bottom sediments have been determined in sediments sampled near the dam.