Nitrogen and phosphorus interactions and transformations in cold-climate mine water recipients

• Main Author: Chlot, Sara
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Luleå tekniska universitet, Geovetenskap och miljöteknik 2013
• Subjects: Geochemistry; Geokemi; Kiruna
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-18567

Process water discharged from mine sites may contain elevated concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), which both are nutrients for phytoplankton and macrophytes. Thus, discharge of nutrient rich mine water can result in algal blooms, eutrophication, oxygen deficiency and changed species composition in the recipients. This thesis is focused on the speciation and transformation processes of N and P in streams and lakes receiving mine effluents from the Kiruna and Boliden mine sites. The thesis also aimed at evaluating N removal capacity of these aquatic systems. Research methods in the thesis included collection of field data, laboratory and field experiments and computer simulations. The question of limiting nutrient for production of phytoplankton and macrophytes in these mine water recipients was investigated. For this reason, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and TN:TP ratios in water, sediment and macrophytes were analysed and evaluated. Depending on the ammonium concentration in the effluent at the Boliden site, TN:TP-ratios of the water column shifted from being >22, indicating P-deficiency for phytoplankton, to between 9-22, indicating a transition from N to P deficiency (co-limitation). However, water column TN:TP ratios at the Kiruna site always indicated P deficiency. On the other hand, the TN:TP ratios of macrophytes revealed that both sites may vary from N to P limitation. These aspects have implications for assessing the environmental influence of nutrient-rich mine effluents. A downstream decrease in inorganic N (NH4+ and NO3-) as well as lower concentrations during summer was observed in the receiving streams and lakes. To identify and quantify the major N transformation and removal processes responsible for these changes, a dynamic biogeochemical model was developed, calibrated and validated using hydrological and water chemistry data for the clarification pond Nya Sjön (Boliden). The model calculates concentrations of six N species and simulates the rate of 16 N ...