File:CONCENTRACIONES DE NITRÓGENO Y FÓSFORO EN SEDIMENTOS RECIENTES DE LA LAGUNA LOS PATOS, ESTADO SUCRE, VENEZUELA..pdf

The concentration of total nitrogen and phosphorus in sediments from Los Patos Lagoon, in Cumana, state of Sucre, Venezuela, was studied. Additionally, the first phosphorus speciation study was made for sediments of this ecosystem. Results showed high levels of total nitrogen and phosphorus, which reached 1380.63 mg/kg and 950.63 mg/kg, respectively, specifically in the vicinity of the sewage treatment plant located at the south end of the lagoon. This evidence brings into question the efficacy of the sewage treatment of the waters being discharged into the lagoon. Phosphorus was mainly found as organic-P bound to calcium phosphoric minerals (48.53%) and, in descending order as: very labile or absorbed phosphorus (13.89%), iron phosphate (13.54%), moderately labile phosphorus (7.35%), and phosphorus in refractory form (6.87%). The nitrogen/phosphorus ratio reached 9.58, which, together with the high percentage of organic phosphorus, shows high organic fertility within the lagoon.