Jump to main content.

Suspended Sediment Particle Size Classes and their Phosphorus-Binding Characteristics

Implications for Availability, Transport, and Transformation in Stream Ecosystems

Preliminary particle size distribution data for three streams in the Till Plain Ecoregion of the Little Miami River Watershed, collected on a Beckman-Coulter LS230.
Current research supports the goal of evaluating best management practice (BMP) efficacy by increasing the fundamental understanding of ecoregional variations in the biogeochemistry and transport of sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen. An initial research goal is to evaluate laboratory and field methodologies capable of isolating or measuring key fractions of suspended sediment and colloidal particles in aqueous samples. Researchers will use various field and laboratory methods (e.g., Beckman-Coulter LS230 particle size analyzer) to measure particle size distributions in natural water samples.

Field methods will isolate sand and silt fractions from natural water samples using sieves and membrane filters; laboratory methods will isolate clays and organic colloids and separate them from the smaller natural organic matter colloids via tangential-flow filtration. Laboratory methods will be used to determine the phosphorus loads and binding capacities of the isolated fractions. The results will be used to evaluate the importance of different particle size fractions relative to their ability to sequester, transform, or transport contaminants between ecological compartments; and how this relationship changes in response to varying discharge conditions (base and storm flow), land use, scale, and management practices.

Contact: Matthew Morrison (EIMS#80104)

Office of Research & Development | National Risk Management Research Laboratory

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.