Eutrophication Induction Via N/P and P/N Ratios Under Controlled Conditions—Effects of Temperature and Water Sources

Abstract

AbstractThe current research outlines the course of eutrophication processes emerging when some critical physical and chemical factors interact altogether. For this purpose, investigations were carried out, where nitrogen [N as (NH4)2HPO4 and KNO3] and phosphorus [P as (NH4)2HPO4] were added to three different water sources (double distilled water, DDW; tap water, TW; and lacustrine water, LW) and the solutions were incubated at two distinct temperatures (17 and 23 °C). Treatments were kept in 1 dm3 glass jars and the incubation time lasted 7 weeks. The eutrophication process emerged only at 23 °C and was stronger for the lacustrine water (LW). In the case of DDW treatments, this process was observed at N/P = 5.1 and even at 60.0, whereas for the TW, no algal blooming was detected (N/P ratio 17.7–640.0). The lacustrine water (LW) outlined patterns with strong eutrophication at N/P = 4.40, but also at ratios 20.9–71.1. Algal blooming significantly intensified according to LW > TW > DDW but was reversely dependent on the P/N ratios, which followed the range DDW (P/N, 1.6–3.78) > TW (P/N, 0.050–0.100) > LW (P/N, 0.016–0.023). At P = constant (P = 0.10 mg dm−3) and the N inputs varying from 0.010 to 2.0 mg dm−3, it appeared that the higher the N concentrations, the more intensive the eutrophication process. For N/P ratios, phosphorus regulated for most of the intensity of the process, whereas in the case of P/N, the role of N and P was interchangeable. The main finding of the research is that nitrogen revealed in many cases to be a powerful eutrophication-regulating factor than did phosphorus.