Read our new fact sheet about the effects of the aluminium treatment in Björnöfjärden (in Swedish):

Effekter på fosfor av aluminiumbehandlingen i Björnöfjärden (2103 Kb)

Effekter på fosfor av aluminiumbehandlingen i Björnöfjärden

Eutrophication of our waters remains a problem. Animals and plants are affected and people's enjoyment of lakes and seas is reduced. Many important efforts have been made to reduce the flow of phosphorus and nitrogen from land to water, but more are needed.

Some of the phosphorus coming from land is transported by water moving through the soil, into rivers and lakes and finally to the sea. In ecosystems that are in balance, both limnic and marine, the input of phosphorus is compensated by long-term binding of phosphorus in sediments and export to surrounding waters. When transport from land to water is elevated, excess phosphorus accumulates in the sediment. A large portion of this excess will only be loosely bound (or easily releasable) and can migrate from the sediment to the water column. So, although inputs from land may have ceased, for example in a lake, eutrophication symptoms may continue due to release of this legacy phosphorus. One measure that has been used in lakes since the 1960s is to trap phosphorus with aluminium. However, it is not yet known under what conditions and at what doses this method is effective or how long-lasting the results will be. By compiling data from over 114 lakes worldwide and building a statistical model, Brian Huser and his research colleagues have found out more about this.

In the bay of Björnöfjärden in the Stockholm archipelago, aluminium treatment has been tested in the Living Coast project, initiated by Baltic Sea 2020 in collaboration with Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre. Researchers have continuously monitored developments in the bay to assess whether the effects of the aluminium treatment persist. 

Welcome to a breakfast webinar on the role of aluminium treatment as a eutrophication measure!

Speakers

Bo Gustafsson, Associate Professor, Director of the Baltic Nest Institute, Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre

Brian Huser, Associate Professor, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Practical information

This webinar is broadcasted on this webpage 9 November 2022, 8:30-9:15 (Local time in Sweden).

No registration is needed.

The webinar will be recorded and can be watched afterwards at this same webpage.

Questions and discussion

We highly welcome the audience to ask questions, in advance or during the webinar. E-mail your question to ostersjocentrum@su.se or use sli.do (code 22102).

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About Baltic Breakfast

Baltic Breakfast is a series of short breakfast seminars/webinars organised by Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre. Their aim is to present the latest knowledge about issues of central importance to the Baltic Sea environment. The webinars are addressed to people in different sectors working for a sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region and everyone interested in environmental issues of the Baltic Sea.

Most Baltic Breakfasts are held in Swedish, but sometimes they are targeted at an international audience and held in English. If you want to get invitations to the upcoming webinars or subscribe to our monthly newsletters, click here.