Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effects Of Diffusion And Resuspension On Nutrient Release From Submerged Sediments, Ian Phillips, Edward Burton, Darryl Hawker

Associate Professor Edward D Burton

Nutrient release from a coarse-sand (CS) and a fine-sand (FS) estuarine sediment into the overlying water column was studied under static (diffusion-controlled) and dynamic (resuspension) conditions. Resuspension increased the amounts of NH4+, NO3- and P released from the sediment cores compared to those released by diffusion alone due to direct release of these nutrients from the readily available pore-water and ion exchange fractions. The average effective NH4+, NO3- and P diffusion coefficients (De) were found to be similar for both sediments, and did not vary significantly between static and dynamic conditions. Values of De were typically of the order of …