Release mechanism and kinetic exchange for phosphorus (P) in lake sediment characterized by diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT).

Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique has been newly designed for the identification of formation mechanisms of "internal phosphorus (P)-loading" and the numerical simulation of P exchange at DGT/sediment interface in Lake Dianchi. The primary mechanism was Fe-redox controlled P release from Fe-bound P in sediments, which was revealed by C (P and Fe), total P (Fe) and P (Fe) fractions in NHCl and BD phases in sediments and their relationships at sites (N-T). The breakdown of algae biomass in the top layer of sediments at sites (O-T) and the coupled P/Fe/sulfur reactions at two depths at site N played a minor role in P release. The "internal P-loading" was calculated to be 19.23ta, which was 3.0% of the "entering P-loading". At sites (1-9), DGT induced flux in sediments (DIFS) model for P was used to derive curves (i) the resupply parameter (R) against deployment time and (ii) the dissolved/sorbed concentrations against the distance at DGT/sediment interface, the variation characters of which were controlled by kinetics and sediment-P pool. Sulfide microniches in sediments related to P release were evaluated by computer imaging densitometry (CID). DGT-DIFS-CID should be a reliable method to reveal P mobilization in lake sediments.