The fate of inorganic colloidal particles in Lake Brienz

Abstract.: The fate of colloidal particles in Lake Brienz and its two main tributaries, the Aare and Lütschine Rivers, was studied over a period of more than a year. Lake colloid loads from the unmodified Lütschine fluctuated significantly across seasons. The highest loads are in summer due to glacier melting. Colloid loads from the Aare reflected the seasonal water use by upstream hydropower plants. A significant number of mineral particles, even outside the theoretical non-settling range, remain in suspension in the epilimnion of Lake Brienz in summer because of the mineralogical nature and shape of the particles and the high input loads. Only 1730 of the 16,800 tons of colloidal particles that entered the lake during the period from 1 June 2004 - 31 July 2005 were exported through the lake outlet. The remainder was presumably lost in the lake through coagulation-sedimentation processes. Coagulation properties of non-fractionated colloid samples in quiescent conditions were studied in the laboratory both in the absence and presence of different organic compounds representative of natural organic matter. Lake Brienz colloids coagulate slowly, as expected from particles (mainly phyllosilicates) bearing a net negative surface charge. Slightly higher coagulation rates were recorded in March and April during the spring algal bloom, which suggests that colloid coagulation is enhanced by carbohydrates. This effect was confirmed in laboratory experiments. However, the concentration of natural organic matter in Lake Brienz is so low that it is not having any significant effect on the fate of inorganic colloid

Guidelines for quantitative analysis of net GHG emissions from reservoirs : Volume 2 - Modeling

Task 1: Managing the carbon balance in freshwater reservoirs, IEA Hydropower Agreement: Annex XII201

Soils Drowned in Water Impoundments: A New Frontier

Water impoundments have major impacts on biogeochemical cycles at the local and global scales. However, although reservoirs flood soils, their biogeochemical evolution below water and its ecological consequences are very poorly documented. We took advantage of the complete emptying of the Guerlédan Reservoir (Brittany, France) to compare the composition of soils flooded for 84 years with that of adjacent non-flooded soils used as reference, in 3 situations contrasted by their soil type (Cambisol and Podzol) and initial land-use (forest or grassland). In the annual drawdown zone, upper horizons of submerged soils are eroded, especially near the upper shore and on slopes. In the permanently drowned area, silty sediments cover drowned soils. Compared to reference soils, forest soils drowned for 84 years maintain their original morphological differentiation, but colors are dull, and the humus (O horizons) have virtually disappeared. Spodic horizons are depleted in poorly crystallized iron minerals while the accumulation of amorphous aluminum compounds remains unchanged. Soil bulk density increases as well as pH while total phosphorus content is almost unchanged. On the other hand, the pH of drowned grassland soils is lower by almost one unit, and the total phosphorus content was halved compared to reference soils. In this context, in addition to the effects of flooding, differences are attributed to post-1950 changes in agricultural practices i.e., liming and fertilization. Organic matter stocks decrease by almost 40%. This rate is similar in Cambisols and Podzols. Assuming that carbon was lost as CO2 and CH4, the corresponding flux averaged over the reservoir's life is close to global areal estimates of CO2 emissions in temperate reservoirs and offsets a significant proportion of the carbon burial in reservoir sediments. Hence, flooded soils contribute significantly to the GHG budget of reservoirs, provide original long-term experimental sites to measure the effects of anoxia on soils and contain archives of past soil properties

Colloid characterization and dynamics in two alpine lakes with contrasting trophic status

Les caractéristiques (distributions de taille, composition, associations, etc...) des colloïdes aquatiques naturels ainsi que leur dynamique ont été étudiées dans deux systèmes aux conditions trophiques très différentes : les lacs de Brienz et Léman, respectivement ultra-oligotrophe et mésotrophe. Cette étude interdisciplinaire a été réalisée avec un large panel de techniques modernes ("single particle counter", microscopie électronique à transmission), développées ou améliorées pour certaines d'entre elles au cours de cette thèse. Dans les deux systèmes, les résultats ont montré que les colloïdes pouvaient avoir une influence sur la production lacustre en jouant sur la dynamique de la turbidité ou sur les concentrations de nutriments disponibles. Inversement, les productivités primaire et secondaire peuvent également modifier les caractéristiques et la dynamique des colloïdes, en particulier leur agrégation, respectivement par le biais d'une production accrue de substances organiques d'origine phytoplanctonique et d'une ingestion par certaines espèces de zooplancton

Size and composition of inorganic colloids in a peri-alpine, glacial flour-rich lake

From June 2004 to October 2005, particle size distributions (PSD) and the mineralogy of inorganic colloids in Lake Brienz, a glacial flour-rich Swiss lake, and in its tributaries (the Aare and Lütschine rivers), were quantified by single particle counting based on light scattering (0.1–2 μm) combined with transmission electronic microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction. The two lake tributaries differ in terms of the geology of their catchment area and in their hydrology: the River Lütschine's glacial regime is unperturbed, while the River Aare has been significantly modified by hydroelectric installations. The dependence of the colloid concentration numbers on colloid diameters can be described by a power-law distribution in all cases. The power-law slopes in the River Aare were consistently smaller, and the total colloid number concentrations consistently higher, (mean values: −3.89 and 6.2 × 108 mL−1, respectively) than in the River Lütschine (−3.61 and 1.7 × 108 mL−1). The measured PSD in the lake were dependent on season and depth: homogenous in the whole epilimnion in winter and modified by river intrusions in summer. In this season, the presence of a river turbid plume above the thermocline is a significant source of colloids in the epilimnion, where their concentration was high (mean value: 5.1 × 107 mL−1). The same main mineral types were found in the different systems: 2:1 minerals, feldspars, chlorite and quartz; with a few particles of oxides. Differences in their relative concentrations in the rivers, essentially reflecting the geological differences of the respective catchment areas, made it possible to trace the origin of the mineral colloids present in lake surface waters throughout the year. The relationship between colloid size and mineralogy was assessed, showing that different minerals have distinct size distributions. In the rivers, where almost no aggregates were observed, PSD would essentially be the result of the nature (particle formation and mineralogy) of the colloids, whereas in the lake, aggregation and sedimentation processes would also play a role, particularly in summer

Submicron organic matter in a peri-alpine, ultra-oligotrophic lake

Combining organic carbon (OC) measurements with the classic MBTH (3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrochloride) method for carbohydrate determination and a new voltammetric method for the determination of refractory organic matter (ROM) made it possible, for the first time, to quantify the types, sources and fate of submicron organic matter present in an ultra-oligotrophic lake (Lake Brienz, Switzerland). The lake is extremely rich in suspended glacial flour in summer (glacier melting season). Measurements were taken from June 2004 to October 2005 from 1.2 μm filtered samples. OC concentration remained extremely low throughout the year (below 1 mg C L−1). MBTH carbohydrate concentration was very low in the lake (0.06–0.43 mg C L−1) and in the two tributary rivers (0.06–0.25 mg C L−1). Lake carbohydrate concentration only correlated with phytoplanktonic biomass at the onset of the productivity period. The results suggest that differences in MBTH concentration may sometimes reflect differences in the nature of the carbohydrates rather than differences in carbon concentration. Extensive fibril formation was evidenced by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. ROM concentration in the lake was also very low (0.1–0.2 mg C L−1). Significant variation in ROM riverine input was due to either annual occurrences (snow melting) or irregular episodes (floods). Melting snow was responsible for about 30% of the lake's annual ROM input. One box mass balance calculations showed that about 25% of ROM was lost within the lake. Evidence gleaned from TEM and STXM (scanning transmission X-ray microscopy) observations clearly indicates that this is mainly caused by ROM sedimentation after association with inorganic colloids

The fate of inorganic colloidal particles in Lake Brienz

The fate of colloidal particles in Lake Brienz and its two main tributaries, the Aare and Lütschine Rivers, was studied over a period of more than a year. Lake colloid loads from the unmodified Lütschine fluctuated significantly across seasons. The highest loads are in summer due to glacier melting. Colloid loads from the Aare reflected the seasonal water use by upstream hydropower plants. A significant number of mineral particles, even outside the theoretical non-settling range, remain in suspension in the epilimnion of Lake Brienz in summer because of the mineralogical nature and shape of the particles and the high input loads. Only 1730 of the 16,800 tons of colloidal particles that entered the lake during the period from 1 June 2004 – 31 July 2005 were exported through the lake outlet. The remainder was presumably lost in the lake through coagulation-sedimentation processes. Coagulation properties of non-fractionated colloid samples in quiescent conditions were studied in the laboratory both in the absence and presence of different organic compounds representative of natural organic matter. Lake Brienz colloids coagulate slowly, as expected from particles (mainly phyllosilicates) bearing a net negative surface charge. Slightly higher coagulation rates were recorded in March and April during the spring algal bloom, which suggests that colloid coagulation is enhanced by carbohydrates. This effect was confirmed in laboratory experiments. However, the concentration of natural organic matter in Lake Brienz is so low that it is not having any significant effect on the fate of inorganic colloids

A Non-Perturbing Scheme for the Mineralogical Characterization and Quantification of Inorganic Colloids in Natural Waters

Although the role played by inorganic colloids in natural waters depends on their composition as well as on their size, the characterization of submicron particles has rarely gone beyond describing the morphology and identifying some of the most abundant particles. The process of quantification has been hampered by a lack of suitable analytical methods. This study demonstrates that it is possible to identify and quantify inorganic particles in the colloidal size range by applying a straightforward methodology based on a well-proved, quantitative, and nonperturbing method of sample preparation (direct centrifugation of the samples on transmission electron microscopy grids) in conjunction with particle analysis using widely available techniques:  transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The method has successfully been applied to six water samples from basins of contrasting geological characteristics. The method has the advantage of minimizing sample modifications by allowing on site sample preparation, using standard equipment, and it is not particularly time-consuming. Notably, the combination of EDS and SAED information makes it possible to characterize and quantify the most abundant components of the colloidal pool in the majority of the aquatic systems:  the different types of aluminosilicates

The application of the MBTH method for carbohydrate determination in freshwaters revisited

There is a lack of reliable and easy-to-use methods for the quantitative determination of carbohydrates in natural waters. Among the existing methods, the 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrochloride (MBTH) method has been widely used to determine total dissolved carbohydrates in seawater. Its application to freshwaters has, so far, been less frequent. The objective of this study is to critically examine the application of the MBTH method to the analysis of carbohydrates in freshwater samples in order to understand what the method really measures. Following a comprehensive revision of the literature, the method has first been applied to representative model compounds and then to a variety of freshwaters of contrasting trophic characteristics. By simultaneously determining the total dissolved organic carbon and humic-type compounds in the same samples, it has been possible to show that sometimes a significant part of the organic carbon remains undetected. This seems to indicate that a substantial amount of carbohydrate present in some natural waters is probably not ‘seen' by the MBTH method