Benthic nitrate removal capacity in marine mangroves of Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles

Abstract

AbstractMangrove sediments are known to be potentially active reducing zones for nitrogen removal. The goal of this work was to investigate the potential for nitrate reduction in marine mangrove sediments along a canal impacted by anthropogenic activity (Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles). To this end, the effect of nitrate concentration, organic carbon load, and hydraulic retention time was assessed as factors affecting these nitrate reduction rates. Nitrate reduction potential was determined using flow‐through reactors in marine mangrove sediments collected along “The Canal des Rotours” in Guadeloupe. Potential nitrate reduction rates, in the presence of indigenous organic carbon, generally increased upon increasing nitrate supply from around 120 nmol cm−3 h−1 (low nitrate) up to 378 nmol cm−3 h−1 (high nitrate). The potential for nitrate reduction increased significantly with the addition of mangrove leaves, whereas the addition of simple, easily degradable carbon (acetate) resulted in an almost fivefold increase in nitrate reduction rates (up to 748 nmol cm−3 h−1). The hydraulic retention time also had an impact on the nitrate reducing capacity due to an increased contact time between nitrate and the benthic microbial community. Marine mangrove sediments have a high potential to mitigate nitrogen pollution, mainly governed by the presence of large amounts of degradable carbon in the form of litter. The mangrove sediments from this Caribbean island, currently exposed to a small tidal effect, could increase their nitrate elimination capacities due to prolonged water retention via engineering.