Short-term efficiency of epibenthic microbial mat components on phosphorus sorption

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2020-08, Vol.157, p.111350-111350, Article 111350
• Main Authors: Perillo, Vanesa Liliana, Pan, Jerónimo, La Colla, Noelia Soledad, Serra, Analía Verónica, Botté, Sandra Elizabeth, Cuadrado, Diana Graciela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Autoclaving; Chemical analysis; Coastal waters; Components; Controlled conditions; Cyanobacteria; Eutrophic environments; Eutrophication; Green filters; Mats; Microbial mats; Microorganisms; Microphytobenthos; Mud; Phosphates; Phosphorus; Phosphorus removal; Seawater; Sediment samples; Sediment-microbe lattice; Sediments; Sorption; Structural integrity; Water analysis
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111350

Microbial mats may be an alternative tool for phosphorus (P) remediation of eutrophic coastal waters. The main objective of this work was to determine the importance that the living and non-living components of the mats have on P short-term sorption. Microbial mats were collected in the Paso Seco coastal flat, Argentina (40°38′3.32″S; 62°12′24.85″W), and incubated under controlled conditions in the lab. An adsorption curve was performed with the microbial mats. Active mats had a Freundlich constant 8.9-fold higher than underlying sandy sediments. Collected samples were then treated as follows: maintaining and disturbing their structural integrity (natural and autoclaved, respectively), and both conditions were incubated with filtered seawater, without and with phosphate addition (0 and 5 mg P L−1, respectively). Natural mats had a significantly-higher phosphate removal percentage than autoclaved ones, suggesting that living microorganisms increase P short-term sorption efficiency by ~25%, while non-living matter may account for the rest. [Display omitted] •Efficient systems for remediation of marine P-enriched waters are needed.•Various components of microbial mats were tested for P sorption efficiency.•Microbial mats alone were more efficient than their underlying sediment.•The non-living components of mats may be key for P short-term removal.•Physiologically-active microbial mats were more efficient than sterilized mats.