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Acid neutralization in laboratory sediment‐water microcosms from a rocky mountain subalpine lake (USA)
Author(s) -
Bruns D. A.,
O'Rourke T. P.,
Wiersma G. B.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620090209
Subject(s) - microcosm , nitric acid , sulfuric acid , environmental chemistry , montane ecology , neutralization , nitrate , sediment , chemistry , incubation , ecology , environmental science , geology , biology , inorganic chemistry , paleontology , antibody , immunology , biochemistry
A laboratory sediment–water microcosm experiment for a Rocky Mountain subalpine lake was conducted over a 35‐d incubation period. Three sets of treatments were acidified to a pH of 4.3 and compared with a set of control microcosms. Treatments included additions of nitric acid, sulfuric acid and both acids combined. All treatment microcosms demonstrated rapid pH recovery to near that of the controls (e.g., 6.2) and changes in ion concentration suggested that over 90% of this recovery could be accounted for by cation exchange and microbial reduction of sulfates and nitrates. Denitrification appeared to predominate in both sets of treatments that involved nitric acid while cation exchange (mostly calcium) was more important in the sulfuric acid treatment. These results are consistent with published findings for both laboratory and field studies and demonstrate the potential importance of sediments for acid neutralization in a Rocky Mountain lake.