Open AccessForms and Lability of Phosphorus in Algae and Aquatic Macrophytes Characterized by Solution 31P NMR Coupled with Enzymatic Hydrolysis
Author(s) -
Weiying Feng,
Yuanrong Zhu,
Fengchang Wu,
Zhongqi He,
Chen Zhang,
John P. Giesy
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/srep37164
Subject(s) - lability , algae , phosphorus , macrophyte , hydrolysis , eutrophication , chemistry , pyrophosphate , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy , enzymatic hydrolysis , enzyme , nuclear chemistry , environmental chemistry , botany , stereochemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , biology , nutrient , ecology
Solution Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance ( 31 P NMR) spectroscopy coupled with enzymatic hydrolysis (EH) with commercially available phosphatases was used to characterize phosphorus (P) compounds in extracts of the dominant aquatic macrophytes and algae in a eutrophic lake. Total extractable organic P (P o ) concentrations ranged from 504 to 1643 mg kg −1 and 2318 to 8395 mg kg −1 for aquatic macrophytes and algae, respectively. Using 31 P NMR spectroscopy, 11 P o species were detected in the mono- and diester region. Additionally, orthophosphate, pyrophosphate and phosphonates were also detected. Using EH, phytate-like P was identified as the prevalent class of enzyme-labile P o , followed by labile monoester- and diester-P. Comparison of the NMR and EH data indicated that the distribution pattern of major P forms in the samples determined by the two methods was similar ( r = 0.712, p < 0.05). Additional 31 P NMR spectroscopic analysis of extracts following EH showed significant decreases in the monoester and pyrophosphate regions, with a corresponding increase in the orthophosphate signal, as compared to unhydrolyzed extracts. Based on these quantity and hydrolysis data, we proposed that recycling of P o in vegetative biomass residues is an important mechanism for long-term self-regulation of available P for algal blooming in eutrophic lakes.