Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance assignments of biogenic phosphorus compounds in sediment of an artificial Fuyangxin River, China.

River eutrophication could drastically influence the phosphorus (P) in the water and sediment. To understand the biogenic-P species, distribution and bioconversion, five sediment samples were collected from an artificial river, and analyzed by phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance ((31)P-NMR). The P pollution in the water and sediment were both severe. The average concentrations of total P (TP) and solution reactive phosphorus in the water were 3.0 and 2.6 mg L(-1), respectively, which surpass grade V of the national quality standard (China) and should not be used for any purpose. The river sediments accumulated significant inorganic phosphorus (Pi) and organic phosphorus (Po); in the P fractionation, the rank order of the P fractions was as follows: Ca-P > NaOH-Pi > Res-P > KCl-P > NaOH-Po, with average relative proportions of 25.1:16.8:6.6:1.7:1:0. Six P compounds were detected in the NaOH-EDTA extract by (31)P-NMR. Mono-P (8.96-29.58 %) was the dominant forms of biogenic-P, and other smaller fractions of biogenic-P were also observed, including pyro-P (0.22-0.86 %), DNA-P (0.75-2.03 %), phon-P (0-1.57 %), and lipids-P (0-2.66 %). The TP and biogenic-P decreased along the direction of flows, with their average relative proportions 7.97:1.20:1.49:1.00:1.00 and 40.87:2.34:3.46:1.60:1 from the upstream to downstream, respectively. The concentration and species of Po in NaOH-Po were lower than found in (31)P-NMR analysis in this research. Thus, the use of 0.25 M NaOH and 50 mM EDTA extracts and solution (31)P-NMR analysis was a more accurate method for quantifying biogenic-P in the river sediments than P fractionation.