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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading
Published on: March 6, 2014
Photomineralization of Effluent Organic Phosphorus to Orthophosphate under Simulated Light Illumination
Xin Zhang1, Jing Li1, Wen-Yuan Fan1
1CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Applied Chemistry , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026 , P. R. China.
Abstract:
Organic phosphorus (OP), one of the main forms of phosphorus in effluent from biological wastewater treatment plants, may contribute to the bioavailable phosphorus pool as well as water eutrophication. However, little is known about the photomineralization of OP or the possible impacts on the phosphorus cycle in water bodies. Herein, the photomineralization of effluent OP was investigated. An increase in orthophosphate concentration was observed under illumination. The 31P liquid nuclear magnetic resonance spectra demonstrated that the release of orthophosphate resulted from photomineralization of OP. Furthermore, the photoproduced hydroxyl radicals (·OH) were proved to play a dominant role in the OP photomineralization. Nitrate, effluent organic matter (EfOM), and Fe(III) presented in effluent were the main chromophores for ·OH photoproduction, and their contributions to ·OH production and photomineralization of OP followed the order: nitrate > EfOM > Fe(III). Additionally, the carbonate (or bicarbonate) in the effluent and high pH were unfavorable for OP photomineralization. The present study revealed the photomineralization behavior of OP in actual effluent, suggesting that photomineralization of OP might contribute to eutrophication and may play a non-negligible role in phosphorus turnover in water bodies.
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