In Situ Simultaneous Analysis of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Migration in Urban Black Odorous Runoff

The extremely serious urban runoff eutrophication and black odorous phenomenon pose a significant threat to the lake aquatic ecosystem, resulting in a significantly increased frequency, magnitude, and duration of algal blooms in lakes. However, few investigations focus on small tributaries of the lakes, despite the ubiquity and potential local importance of these runoffs. Thus, the labile sediments NH(4)(+)-N, NO(3)(−)-N, PO(4)(3−), Fe(2+), and S(2−) in black odorous runoff at Wuxi were overall analyzed at high resolution using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT). The variations in labile N, P, Fe, and S distribution profiles at different sampling sites indicated high heterogeneity in sediments. The concentrations of labile P, Fe, and S showed synchronous variation from the sediment-water interface (SWI) up to −20 mm along sediment profiles. Moreover, there existed a significant positive correlation among labile P, Fe, and S concentrations (p < 0.05), which might represent typical odor compounds’ FeS and H(2)S synchronous release process in urban runoff. Furthermore, the apparent diffusion fluxes of labile P, Fe, and S across the SWI were all released upward, while fluxes of NH(4)(+)-N and NO(3)(−)-N release downward, indicating the sediments act as source and sink of P and N, respectively. Sediments’ potential for endogenous P and N fractions release results in the black−odorous water, and sediment finally abouchement the Taihu, which intensifies further lake eutrophication phenomenon.