Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
Published on: July 22, 2019
Microbial effects on phosphorus release in aquatic sediments
Ting-Lin Huang1, Xiao-Chun Ma, Hai-bing Cong
1Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P.R. China. huangtinglin@xauat.edu.cn
Abstract:
Microbial effects on phosphorus release were studied for the sediments of Tianjin source water by controlling DO and pH. The results show that: (1) In sterilised water, phosphorus began to release when pH = 9.1 and the stable release rate was 9.51 mg/(d.m2). It indicates that microorganisms may utilise anaerobic iron respiration to release Fe-P. (2) With unsterilised water, phosphorus release rate is 2.14 mg/(d.m2) when pH = 6.5, 8.60 mg/(d.m2) when pH is uncontrolled, and gets to 8.51 mg/(d.m2) when pH = 9.1. This indicates that microorganisms can dissolve insoluble phosphates to accelerate the ion exchange of OH(-) and PO4(3-), which are derived from iron-bound ortho-P and aluminium-bound ortho-P.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Microbial Wastewater Treatment
The Phosphorus Cycle
Freshwater Microbial Ecology
Microbial Bioremediation of Uranium
Marine Microbial Ecology
Factors Affecting Solubility

