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Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
Published on: July 22, 2019
Phosphorus release from coastal sediments: Impacts of the oxidation-reduction potential and sulfide
Zhaoran Li1, Yanqing Sheng1, Jian Yang1
1Research Center for Coastal Environment Engineering Technology of Shandong Province, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
Abstract:
The release of phosphorus (P) from benthic sediments can affect the P content, nutrient status and quality of overlying waters in coastal ecosystem. This study was carried out to investigate the influence of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and sulfide on P release from sediments in the coastal estuary of the Yuniao River, China. The results showed that ferric iron-bound P was the main P burial phase in the sediments. The P concentration in overlying water increased with ORP decrease and sulfide increase, displaying a significant linear correlation with the ORP and sulfide concentration. The results indicate that decreased ORP may elevate the zero equilibrium phosphorus concentration, enhancing the capability of P release. And increased sulfide may react or capture reactive iron in sediments, reducing the P adsorption capacity and accelerating P release. Therefore, the control of ORP and sulfide production is important in the sink/source conversion of P in coastal sediments.
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