Transformation of external sulphate and its effect on phosphorus mobilization in Lake Moshui, Wuhan, China

Average concentrations of sulphate in lakes continue to increase sharply. The response of phosphorus to sulphate input is of great importance due to the relationship between eutrophication and ecological health. A four-week experiment was conducted under simulated conditions using samples from a heavily polluted lake, Lake Moshui, in Wuhan, China, to examine the influence of external sulphate on phosphorus release and the transformation of sulphate. The results showed that the diffusion of sulphate into the sediments promoted the proliferation of sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and the reduction of sulphate. Acetic acid was consumed due to sulphate reduction. The soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and soluble Fe measured with diffusive equilibration in thin-films (DET) probes increased significantly after the input of sulphate. The content of SRP was consistent with the variation in both the SRB number and the S0 content in the sediments. The maximum SRP concentration of 100.43 mg L−1 was recorded 3 cm below the sediment-water interface on the 29th d, which was more than twice the value of the control. There was a positive correlation between concentrations of Fe and SRP in the overlying water and the pore water of the sediments.