Journal article
Fate and Effect of Dissolved Silicon within Wastewater Treatment Effluent
Environmental science & technology, v 51(13), pp 7403-7411
05 Jul 2017
PMID: 28551986
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
In large rivers, the ratios of silicon (Si)/nitrogen (N)/phosphorus (P) have changed dramatically as anthropogenic additions of N or P are not matched by Si. Wastewater effluent is a recognized source of N and P to coastal environments. Few previous studies, however, have examined the Si load of a large wastewater plant's effluent or the molar ratios of Si/N and Si/P in effluent. We examine the annual flux of dissolved silicon (DSi) carried by effluent from the second largest treatment plant by flow in, the United States (Deer Island Treatment Plant, DITP, Boston, MA). We compare treatment plant nutrient fluxes to local urban river nutrient fluxes and trace the impact of the DITP DSi roading on receiving waters. Estimates < 95% confidence interval) of treated effluent (67 800 +/- 1500 kmol DSi year(-1)) compared to untreated (69 500 kmol DSi year indicate that the process of sewage treatment at DITP likely does not remove DSi. DITP effluent was Si-limited and this Si-limitation is reflected in the receiving waters (Massachusetts Bay). However, Si-limitation appears only in the area immediately surrounding the effluent discharge. We use these results to explain pfiytuplankton patterns in Massachusetts Bay and to provide the first estimate of DSi loading 46 Gmol SiO2, year(-1)) from wastewater effluent across the US.
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Details
- Title
- Fate and Effect of Dissolved Silicon within Wastewater Treatment Effluent
- Creators
- Timothy J. Maguire - Boston UniversityRobinson W. Fulweilert - Boston University
- Publication Details
- Environmental science & technology, v 51(13), pp 7403-7411
- Publisher
- Amer Chemical Soc
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- Biology Department Warren-McLeod Fellowship Sloan Foundation in the form of a fellowship Boston University Initiative on Cities
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Environmental Biogeochemistry
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000405056200012
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85024390638
- Other Identifier
- 991021903228304721
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Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Environmental
- Environmental Sciences