Characterizing ammonia emissions from water bodies using dynamic floating chambers

Jianan Chen; Weijun Li; Peng Qiao; Yongzhi Li; Kai Zheng; Yanjun Wang; Xinmin Dong; Shuguang Wang; Lekun Tan; Fengming Chu; Ning Fang; Yang Zeng

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148978

Characterizing ammonia emissions from water bodies using dynamic floating chambers

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Nov 20:796:148978. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148978. Epub 2021 Jul 10.

Authors

Jianan Chen¹, Weijun Li², Peng Qiao³, Yongzhi Li³, Kai Zheng³, Yanjun Wang³, Xinmin Dong³, Shuguang Wang¹, Lekun Tan⁴, Fengming Chu⁵, Ning Fang⁶, Yang Zeng⁷

Affiliations

¹ Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266200, Shandong, China; Sino-French Research Institute for Ecology and Environment (ISFREE), Shandong University, Qingdao 266200, Shandong, China.
² School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shihezi University, Key Laboratory of Environmental Monitoring and Pollutant Control of Xin jiang Bingtuan, Shihezi, Xinjiang Province 832000, China; Environmental Monitoring Station of Shihezi, Shihezi, Xinjiang Province 832000, China.
³ Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266200, Shandong, China.
⁴ Qingdao ProBio Biotech Co., Ltd, Blue Silicon Valley, Qingdao 266200, Shandong, China.
⁵ Shandong Jienuo Environmental Technology Co., Ltd, Taian 271000, Shandong, China.
⁶ Taian Dongyue Environmental Technology Consulting Co., Ltd, 271000, China.
⁷ Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266200, Shandong, China; Sino-French Research Institute for Ecology and Environment (ISFREE), Shandong University, Qingdao 266200, Shandong, China. Electronic address: yangzeng@email.sdu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34328875
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148978

Abstract

Ammonia (NH₃) is the most important alkaline gas in the atmosphere and plays a central role in atmospheric pollution and the global N cycle. Water bodies receive increasing nitrogen inputs from effluents and atmospheric deposition due to anthropogenic activities and are regarded as the major natural NH₃ and NH₄⁺ sinks. In this work, floating dynamic flux chambers were deployed at four types of freshwater (rivers, large reservoirs, medium-sized reservoirs and ponds) systems and a coastal seawater system to estimate the water-air NH₃ emission fluxes. The NH₃ emission fluxes of rivers (26.4 μg NH₃ m^-2 h^-1) were significantly higher than those of other types of freshwater systems, and the NH₃ flux of offshore water was unexpectedly high (3.9 μg NH₃ m^-2 h^-1). The ammonium content and water temperature were the most important factors driving NH₃ emissions from water bodies. The global NH₃ emissions from water bodies reached 8.88 TgN a^-1, and this value will increase persistently with global warming and water quality deterioration. Water bodies that are relatively eutrophic and directly affected by anthropogenic activities should be considered reservoirs of inputted N instead of permanent sinks.

Keywords: Ammonia; Emission flux; Freshwater; Marine source; Ocean.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Ammonia / analysis
Ammonium Compounds* / analysis
Atmosphere
Environmental Monitoring
Nitrogen / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants
Ammonium Compounds
Ammonia
Nitrogen