La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	The Bioavailability of Effluent-derived Organic Nitrogen along an Estuarine Salinity Gradient
Auteurs :	Katherine C. Filippino, Auteur ; Margaret R. Mulholland, Auteur ; Peter W. Bernhardt, Auteur ; George E. Boneillo, Auteur ; Ryan E. Morse, Auteur ; Matthew Semcheski, Auteur ; Harold Marshall, Auteur ; Nancy G. Love, Auteur ; Quinn Roberts, Auteur ; Deborah A. Bronk, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Estuaries and Coasts (34(2) MAR 2011)
Article en page(s) :	269-280
Résumé :	Total maximum daily loads for nitrogen (N) are currently being established for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. While we know inorganic N is bioavailable in the environment and therefore its input contributes to cultural eutrophication, the bioavailability of organic N is unclear. Using bioassay experiments, we examined the impact of effluent-derived organic nitrogen (EON) from wastewater treatment plants on natural water samples collected along an estuarine/salinity gradient within the lower Chesapeake Bay watershed. All of the inorganic N and between 31% and 96% of the EON was removed during biotic bioassays within the first 2 days. Further, there was substantial abiotic reactivity of effluent N when it was added to natural water samples. Results demonstrate that organic and inorganic N in effluent is removed to support the growth of microbial communities. These are the first results aimed at assessing the reactivity of EON in natural waters along an estuarine/salinity gradient.

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