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Updated: Oct 2, 2026

Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading
Published on: March 6, 2014
Phosphorus in tributaries to Lake Mälaren, Sweden: analytical fractions, anthropogenic contribution and
1Department of Environmental Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. Gunnar.Persson@ma.slu.se
Abstract:
Riverine phosphorus (P) concentration and P-transport to Lake Mälaren, the third largest lake in Sweden, has been monitored for 35 years in 12 major tributaries. During a period of 15 months, complementary assessments of particulate P, suspended matter and dissolved reactive P were made. Particulate P comprised 64%, dissolved unreactive P 23% and dissolved reactive P 13% as flow-weighted means, with high seasonal variability. "Background" or "reference" P-transports in the streams were estimated by different methods and the anthropogenic contribution to P-transport was shown to be reduced over time. Potential algal availability of particulate P showed a mean availability of c. 45% for water draining arable and forested land, while the availability was higher for sewage discharge particulate P and algal P. Calculated total bioavailable P in tributaries was shown to equal reactive P measured on coarsely filtered water and it was indicated that the proportion of bioavailable P was higher during the period with high anthropogenic P-contribution than with a lower contribution.
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