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Application of a Numerical Model for the Prediction of Vertical Profiles of Electron Acceptors Based on Degradation of Organic Matter in Benthic Sediments  

Choi, Jung-Hyun (Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Ewha Womans University)
Park, Seok-Soon (Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Ewha Womans University)
Publication Information
Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers / v.27, no.2, 2005 , pp. 151-157 More about this Journal
Abstract
A one-dimensional numerical model was developed to simulate vertical profiles of electron acceptors and their reduced species in benthic sediments. The model accounted for microbial degradation of organic matter and subsequent chemical reactions of interest using stoichiometric relationships. Depending on the dominant electron acceptors utilized by microorganisms, the benthic sediments were assumed to be vertically subdivided into six zones: (1) aerobic respiration, (2) denitrification, (3) manganese reduction, (4) iron reduction, (5) sulfate reduction, and (6) methanogenesis. The utilizations of electron acceptors in the biologically mediated oxidation of organic matter were represented by Monod-type expression. The mass balance equations formulated for the reactive transport of organic matter, electron acceptors, and their corresponding reduced species in the sediments were solved utilizing an iterative multistep numerical method. The ability of model to simulate a freshwater sediments system was tested by comparing simulation results against published data obtained from lake sediments. The simulation results reasonably agreed with field measurements for most species, except for ammonia. This result showed that the C/N ratio (106/16) in the sediments is lower than what the Redfield formula prescribes. Since accurate estimates of vertical profiles of electron acceptors and their reduced species are important to determine the mobility and bioavailability of trace metals in the sediments, the model has potential application to assess the stability of selected trace metals in the sediments.
Keywords
Biodegradation; Sediments; Electron Acceptor; Numerical Model; Metal;
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Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
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