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The fate of sewage phosphorus input to a subarctic lake chain

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Abstract

The subarctic iron-mining town of Schefferville, Quebec discharges some 6.6 t P annually from sewage into a lake chain. P concentrations in the receiving lake build up during the winter, ice-cover period and the lake waters become anoxic. Spring flushing is rapid and pronounced, and throughout the summer lake P concentrations remain relatively low. Iron-rich groundwater inflow to the lakes promotes sedimentation of P as Fe-phosphates in the spring when lake waters are re-oxygenated. Sedimentation in the receiving lake accounts for 80% of the annual sewage P load, and only 12% passes out of the three-lake chain studied.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, McMaster University, L8S 4K1, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    John J. Drake

  2. Drew Chemical Corp., 1 Drew Chemical Plaza, 070o5, Boonton, N.J., U.S.A.

    Irving J. Freund

Authors
  1. John J. Drake
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  2. Irving J. Freund
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Drake, J.J., Freund, I.J. The fate of sewage phosphorus input to a subarctic lake chain. Water Air Soil Pollut 14, 331–337 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00291846

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00291846

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