Scientific Briefing

Phosphorus in groundwater—an overlooked contributor to eutrophication?

  1. I. P. Holman1,*,
  2. M. J. Whelan1,
  3. N. J. K. Howden1,
  4. P. H. Bellamy1,
  5. N. J. Willby2,
  6. M. Rivas-Casado1,
  7. P. McConvey3

Article first published online: 21 NOV 2008

DOI: 10.1002/hyp.7198

Issue

Hydrological Processes

Hydrological Processes

Volume 22, Issue 26, pages 5121–5127, 30 December 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Holman, I. P., Whelan, M. J., Howden, N. J. K., Bellamy, P. H., Willby, N. J., Rivas-Casado, M. and McConvey, P. (2008), Phosphorus in groundwater—an overlooked contributor to eutrophication?. Hydrol. Process., 22: 5121–5127. doi: 10.1002/hyp.7198

Author Information

  1. 1

    Natural Resources Department, Cranfield University, UK

  2. 2

    School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, UK

  3. 3

    Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, Belfast, UK

*Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford MK43 0AL, UK.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 3 DEC 2008
  2. Article first published online: 21 NOV 2008
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 15 OCT 2008
  4. Manuscript Received: 13 AUG 2008

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Keywords:

  • groundwater;
  • phosphorus;
  • eutrophication

Abstract

This paper presents the first international assessment of phosphorus concentrations in groundwater, using data from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Phosphorus is considered to be the main limiting nutrient in most freshwater ecosystems. Controlling phosphorus inputs is thus considered the key to reducing eutrophication and managing ecological quality. Very little attention has been paid to evaluating transfers via groundwater due to the long-held belief that adsorption and metal complex formation retain the majority of potentially mobile phosphorus. In each country, ecologically-important phosphorus thresholds are exceeded in a significant number of groundwater samples. The relative contributions of potential sources for these elevated concentrations are currently unclear but there is evidence to suggest that they are at least partly anthropogenic. The results suggest that groundwater P concentrations are such that they may be a more important contributor to surface water phosphorus than previously thought. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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