Nutrient contributions by benthal sludge deposits

Settled solids from effluents discharged into a river system, undergoing decomposition at the river bottom, form an appreciable internal nutrient source for the biological activities in the river system. During the stabilization of benthal deposits, a variety of nutrients are released into the overlying waters. The exchange between sediment and overlying waters is a major component of the nitrogen and phosphorous cycles in the natural waters. The releases of such nutrients is a surface phenomenon, regulated by the conditions of benthal sludge layers, flow rate of overlying waters, etc. The rate of ammonia nitrogen release manifested an optimum low value when benthal sludge depth was 0.2 m, but was not influenced by the flow rate of overlying water and h/d ratios. The rate of phosphate release from benthal sludge was independent of depth of benthal sludge, flow rate and h/d ratios. The nutrients in the benthal sludge layers were increasing with time, and were concentrated at a layer 10 cm below the top surface. The nutrients release (percent of nutrient remaining in top benthal sludge layers) decreased with time and became almost constant after about 40 days. The nutrients release under continuously accumulating conditions of benthal sludge and the effects of frequency of addition have been discussed in this paper. The nutrients release was less when the frequency of addition was less.