CONTENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHORUS IN THE WATER, SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATTER, AND SURFACE SEDIMENT OF A TYPICAL SEMI-ENCLOSED BAY

Eutrophication and seasonal hypoxia led by phosphorus (P) in bays have been increasingly paid close attention. This study investigated the level and distribution of P in water (DP), suspended particulates (SP-P), and surface sediment (SP) in Laizhou Bay (LZB). The spatial distribution illustrated that the concentrations of DP and SP-P were ranked as estuary > coastal area > inner bay. However, the concentration of SP was ranked as estuary > inner bay > coastal. The results showed that the western riverine inputs might be one of the main sources of P contamination in LZB. The SP mostly existed as the fraction of Ca-bounded P (Ca-P). In the water phase, the DP showed a significant correlation with SP-P, alkalinity, salinity, and dissolved organic carbon. In the sediment phase, the content of Fe, total organic carbon content, and different P fractions had significantly positive correlations with the SP. The Lorentz2D model was constructed to predict the SP concentration based on the measured DP and SP-P concentration. The fitting results as well in the estuaries and coastal area of LZB.