Sludge Watch ==> New method tests sewage for Dissolved Phosphorus

[Maureen Reilly]

http://www.huliq.com/39976/toward-comprehensive-test-for-dissolved-phosphorous

Science News

Saving Fish: New Method Tests Sewage For Dissolved Phosphorous


ScienceDaily (Nov. 2, 2007) — A new method for measuring certain forms of 
phosphorus - the nutrient often responsible for algae blooms that devastate 
fish populations in lakes - has identified a major but previously overlooked 
source of the phosphorus that may heavily contribute to water quality 
problems, researchers from Australia and the United Kingdom are reporting.



In the study, Phil Monbet and colleagues point out that two types of 
dissolved phosphorus, organic and inorganic, contribute to eutrophication, 
the overgrowth of algae. Presently, however, scientists and water pollution 
control officials rarely measure or pay attention to dissolved organic 
phosphorus (DOP).

The new procedure recognizes that enzymes present in aquatic environments 
can convert DOP into inorganic phosphorus, releasing it to fuel algal 
growth. It overcomes the limitations of current phosphorus measurements, 
providing more accurate data on the potential of discharges from sewage 
treatment plants to contribute to eutrophication.

"This work quantitatively highlights the potential of DOP to contribute to 
eutrophication in natural waters as a result of enzyme hydrolysis," the 
report states.

The study "A Protocol to Assess the Enzymatic Release of Dissolved Organic 
Phosphorus Species in Waters under Environmentally Relevant Conditions"  is 
scheduled for the Nov. 1 issue of ACS' Environmental Science & Technology.

Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society.