| Abstract: | Nutrient and Oxygen Balance of a Highly Polluted Treated Sewage Channel with Special Regard to the Submerged Macrophytes The changes of the concentrations of inorganic nitrogen compounds, orthophosphate, and oxygen were measured in the flowing wave along the flowing stretch of the Berlin treated sewage channel Wuhle monthly over a period of two years (1993/94) to estimate the nutrient and oxygen balances. This treated sewage channel is rich in nutrients and densely covered with submerged macrophytes. During the period of investigation in 1993 (1994), the effluent of the sewage treatment plant Falkenberg, which is lacking in adjustable nitrification and denitrification. contained in average 16.1 (12.7) mg/L of NH -N, 13.7 (9.4) mg/L of NO3?-N. 0.94 (0.69) mg/L of NO -N. and 0.36 (0.26) mg/L of PO -P. Due to the neglectable influence of other processes like nutrient uptake by submerged macrophytes and algae, desorption of ammonia or dilution, the changes of the concentrations of the inorganic nitrogen compounds are mainly influenced by nitrification and denitrification. The nitrification is mainly done by sessile nitrifiers in the treated sewage channel Wuhle. The nitrification rates. calculated from the decrease of the ammonium concentrations, were between 0.5 and 20 g/(m2d) related to the flowing stretch area. The ammonium concentrations decreased along the flowing stretch in average by 20 to 44%. The highest nitrification rates could be found at the stretches with a dense colonization with submerged macrophytes and a good oxygen supply due to low water depth and high flowing velocities. The denitrification rates, calculated from the decrease of the total of the concentrations of the inorganic nitrogen compounds, were between 0.5 and 23 g/(m2d) related to the flowing stretch area. The total loss of nitrogen due to denitrification was between 10 and 20% along the flowing stretch of the treated sewage channel Wuhle. This corresponds to a total amount of up to 530 kg nitrogen per day. The main part of the phosphorus occured as orthophosphate in concentrations between 0.04 and 0.87 mg/L of PO -P in the effluent of the treatment sewage plant Falkenberg. The orthophosphate concentration changed along the flowing stretch mostly in such a manner that it were at the same level at the end of the flowing stretch at the mouth into the river Spree. The self-purification capacity of the channel does not lead to a relevant reduction of the very high nutrient load under the present conditions. The rates of the photosynthetic production (P) and the community respiration (R) were calculated from the rates of the total changes of oxygen with regard to the physical aeration. The rates of the photosynthetic production were between 0 and 33 g/(m2d), the rates of the community respiration between 15 and 75 g/(m2d). Therewith, the Wuhle treatment sewage channel belongs to the very productive waters. A positive balance (P > R) could only be measured on two segments in May. The rates of oxygen production depend on the ratio width to depth of the water. It is possible that the positive influence of the submerged macrophytes on the oxygen balance also at higher biomasses than 250 g/m2 (as dry weight) predominates at the segments with a favourable ratio. The portion of the oxygen input through diffusion along the flowing stretch and at the weirs was 30%, respectively, that of the photosynthic production 40% in summer. The rates of community respiration decreased along the flowing stretch by 50 to 90%. The nitrification had the main portion of the oxygen depletion in the Wuhle treated sewage channel with 60…80%. Despite the high biomass, the respiration of the submerged macrophytes had only a small portion of the total oxygen depletion. Nevertheless, the submerged macrophytes contributed to the nearly total oxygen depletion at the most densely covered segment 2 at night. The decrease of the content of particular organic material and the ammonia concentrations at the effluent of the sewage treatment plant, a diminishing of the biomass of submerged macrophytes by shading, and the widening of a few flowing stretches are demanded for the improvement of the oxygen balance of the Wuhle treated sewage channel. |
