Overlooked role of long capping time and environmental factors in the plateau lake for impairing lanthanum-modified-bentonite's immobilization to phosphate

Lanthanum-modified-bentonite(LMB) has been applied for eutrophication management as a phosphate(P)-binding agent in many lakes. However, re-eutrophication took place several years or decades later after the first practice of capping due to dynamic environmental factors in the plateau lake. Here, we investigated the effect of long-term capping and integrated environmental factors in the plateau lake including alkalinity, organic matter, disturbance and photodegradation to the LMB immobilization. Long-term LMB immobilization exhibited C accumulation(82.3%), La depletion(53.5%) and lager size effect in the sediment particle, indicating the breakage of La-O-P bonds and the formation of La-O-C bonds over immobilization time. Additionally, pH(8–10) in the plateau lake could enhance the P desorption and decrease P adsorption through electrostatic repulsion enhancement with the zeta potential reduction(7.2 mV). Further disturbance experiment indicated a significant releasing trend of active P and DGT-labile P from the solid phase, pore water to the overlying water after disturbances due to resuspended releasing, particle size and amorphous Fe, Mn and Al's redistribution. Moreover, ³¹P NMR and EPR results indicated photodegradation after disturbance converted diester phosphate into orthophosphate with long-term LMB immobilization via the oxidation of ·OH in the sediment of the plateau lake. Therefore, management issues for Xingyun Lake may apply to other plateau lakes with low external P input, intermediate depth and intense disturbance.