Role of sewage phosphorus in coastal water bioenergy production

A study was carried out on the quantity and speciation of phosphorus in a s ewage originating from Tuticorin town and discharging the contents in the F ishing Harbour area. Four prominent peaks were observed in the distribution of total phosphorus and during most of the months the concentration remain ed above 4 mgP/l. The annual mean contribution of total soluble phosphorus (86.73%) to total phosphorus was higher than that of particulate phosphorus (13.2.7%). Since all the chemical species of phosphorus are eventually con verted into biologically utilisable form, the anticipated increment In ener gy production calculated from the stoichiometric composition of plankton [( CH2 O)(106)(NH3)(16)H3PO4] was to the tune of 1300 tonne C/yr. Assuming tha t all the three sewages of Tuticorin discharge comparable quantity of waste water, the anticipated hike in primary energy synthesis was around 3000x10( 7) kcal. Considering three trophic levels from phytoplankton production to fish production the extra fish production due to sewage phosphorus was calc ulated as 132.60 tonne/year. According to Winberg's transformation, the sur plus production of bioenergy due to be boosted fishery potential was around 132.6 x 10(6) kcal/year.