REMEDIATION AND/OR RESTORATION OF AN ANOXIC BODY OF WATER

Abstract

The application relates to a method for remediation and/or restoration of an anoxic body of water (10), wherein a calcium nitrate solution (3) is added to the anoxic body of water (10), and wherein the method comprises the steps of mixing water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150% with the calcium nitrate solution (3), resulting in a mixture, and pumping the mixture into the anoxic body of water (10), wherein the final concentration of nitrate-N in the remedied and/or restored anoxic body of water (10) is between 1 and 20 mg/l. The application furthermore relates to a system (1) for remediation and/or restoration of an anoxic body of water (10), wherein the system (1) is provided with means to add a calcium nitrate solution (3) to the anoxic body of water (10), wherein the means to add the calcium nitrate solution (3) to the anoxic body of water (10) consists of a mixing device (2) arranged to mix the calcium nitrate solution (3) with water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, resulting in a mixture, and wherein the system (1) comprises first pumping means (5) for pumping the mixture into the anoxic body of water (10).

Claims

1-21. (canceled)

22. Method for remediation and/or restoration of a body of water comprising an anoxic body of water (10), wherein the anoxic body of water is an underlying water layer (10) lying below a surface water layer (12) and wherein a calcium nitrate solution (3) is added to the anoxic body of water (10), CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the method comprises the steps of mixing water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, preferably around 100%, with the calcium nitrate solution (3), resulting in a mixture, preferably having a concentration of calcium nitrate-N of between 10 and 1000 mg/l, depending on the volume of the anoxic body of water (10) and the water flow in the anoxic body of water (10), wherein the water is taken from the surface water layer (12), the underlying water layer (10) or a ground water source (13) in the vicinity of the surface water layer (12) with the proviso that water from the underlying water layer (10) or from a ground water source (13) in the vicinity of the surface water layer (12) is mixed with oxygen (4), preferably in the form of atmospheric air, oxygen enriched atmospheric air, or 100% pure oxygen, pumping the mixture into the body of water, until the final concentration of nitrate-N in the remedied and/or restored anoxic body of water (10) is between 1 to 20 mg/l.

23. Method according to claim 22, wherein the anoxic body of water being an underlying water layer is a hypolimnion (10) of a thermally stratified body of water (20).

24. Method according to claim 23, wherein the thermally stratified body of water (20) has an epilimnion (12), and the water that is mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3) is water taken from the epilimnion (12).

25. Method according to claim 23, wherein the water that is mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3) is water taken from the hypolimnion (10) which is mixed with oxygen (4) to a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%.

26. Method according to claim 23, wherein the thermally stratified body of water (20) has an epilimnion (12), and wherein the water that is mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3) is taken from ground water (13) in the vicinity of the thermally stratified body of water (20) and which is mixed with oxygen to a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%.

27. Method according to claim 22, wherein the anoxic body of water being an underlying water layer is an anoxic body of water comprised in a sludge or sediment layer of said body of water.

28. Method according to claim 27, wherein the water that is mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3) is taken from the anoxic body of water comprised in the sludge or sediment layer and which is mixed with oxygen to a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%.

29. Method according to claim 22, wherein the method comprises the step of controlling and optimizing the amount of calcium nitrate solution that has to be added to the anoxic body of water (10) and the time when and for how long the calcium nitrate solution has to be added to the anoxic body of water (10).

30. Method according to claim 22, wherein the calcium nitrate solution comprises one or more substances for enhancing precipitation of phosphorus.

31. System (1) for remediation and/or restoration of a flat or thermally stratified body of water comprising an anoxic body of water (10) arranged to perform a method according to claim 22, wherein the system (1) is provided with means to add a calcium nitrate solution (3) to the anoxic body of water (10), CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the means to add the calcium nitrate solution (3) to the anoxic body of water (10) comprises a mixing device (2) arranged to mix the calcium nitrate solution (3) with water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, resulting in a mixture, wherein the system (1) comprises first pumping means (5) for pumping the mixture into the body of water and optionally second pumping means (6) for pumping the water that is to be mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3) towards the mixing device (2), and wherein the system (1) comprises an oxygen mixing means, optionally forming part of the mixing device (2), for mixing oxygen (4) into the water, preferably ground water (13) or an underlying water layer (10), to obtain the water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%.

32. System according to claim 31, wherein the anoxic body of water is an underlying water layer (10) lying beneath a surface water layer (12), and wherein the second pumping means (6) are configured for pumping either water from the surface layer water (12), ground water out of a ground water source (13) that is situated in the vicinity of the surface water layer (12) or water from the underlying water layer (10) towards the mixing device (2).

33. System according to claim 32, wherein the anoxic body of water being an underlying water layer of a body of water is the hypolimnion (10) of a thermally stratified body of water (20), the thermally stratified body of water comprising an epilimnion (12), and wherein the second pumping means (6) are configured for pumping water from the epilimnion (12) towards the mixing device (2).

34. System according to claim 32, wherein the anoxic body of water being an underlying water layer of a body of water is the hypolimnion (10) of a thermally stratified body of water (20), the thermally stratified body of water (20) comprising an epilimnion (12), and wherein the second pumping means (6) are configured for pumping up ground water (13) that is situated in the vicinity of the thermally stratified body of water (20) towards the mixing device (2), wherein the system (1) comprises oxygen mixing means for mixing oxygen (4) into the ground water (13), said oxygen mixing means preferably forming part of the mixing device (2).

35. System according to claim 32, wherein the anoxic body of water being an underwater layer of a body of water is the hypolimnion (10) of a thermally stratified body of water (20), and wherein the second pumping means (6) are configured for pumping up water from the hypolimnion (10) towards the mixing device (2), wherein the system (1) comprises oxygen mixing means for mixing oxygen (4) into the hypolimnion (10), said oxygen mixing means preferably forming part of the mixing device (2).

36. System according to claim 32, wherein the anoxic body of water, being an underwater layer of a body of water, is a body of water comprised in a sludge or sediment layer of said body of water, and wherein the second pumping (6) means are configured for pumping the water separated from the sludge layer towards the mixing device (2), and wherein the system (1) comprises mixing means for mixing oxygen (4) into the water separated from the sludge or sediment layer, said oxygen mixing means preferably forming part of the mixing device (2).

37. System according to claim 31, wherein the mixing device (2) forms part of an onshore station.

38. Use of a calcium nitrate solution mixed with water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, preferably around 100%, for prevention of a reducing environment having a negative redox potential and with anoxic biological processes in an anoxic body of water, or for the binding and prevention of release and remobilization of nutrients, particularly phosphor out of an anoxic body of water.

39. Use according to claim 38, wherein the anoxic body of water is the hypolimnion of a thermally stratified body of water, or is the body of water comprised in the sludge layer of a body of water.

40. Use according to claim 38, wherein the anoxic body of water is the hypolimnion of a thermally stratified body of water, or is the body of water comprised in the sludge layer of a body of water.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0096] FIG. 1 shows a bathymetric chart of Lake Schäfersee in Berlin Reinickendorf, in which the depth contours are shown in 0.5 meter increments, and in which the partial desludged area above 3.5 meter is in light grey, while the deeper non-desludged area below 3.5 meter is in dark grey;

[0097] FIG. 2 shows a bathymetric chart of Lake Schäfersee which the positions of the injection of a 45 weight % solution of calcium nitrate (position 0) and the measuring points numbers 4-6;

[0098] FIG. 3 shows a graph with the comparison of annual variations of the nitrate-N concentration in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0099] FIG. 4 shows a graph with a comparison of the annual variations of nitrite-N concentration in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake

[0100] Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0101] FIG. 5 shows a graph with a comparison with annual variations of the redox potential in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0102] FIG. 6 shows a graph with a comparison of annual cycles of oxygen saturation in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0103] FIG. 7 shows a graph with a comparison of annual variations of total phosphorus P-concentration in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0104] FIG. 8 shows a graph with a comparison of annual variations in the oxygen content in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0105] FIG. 9 shows a graph with a comparison of total nitrogen-N concentration in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0106] FIG. 10 shows a graph with a comparison of ammonium-N concentration in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0107] FIG. 11 shows a graph with a comparison of the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in the years 2013 and 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0108] FIG. 12 shows a graph with a comparison of annual variation of the sulphate concentration in 2014 in the measuring point 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0109] FIG. 13 shows a graph with a comparison of nitrate-N concentration at 6 meter depth in the year 2014 in the measuring points 4 and 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0110] FIG. 14 shows a graph with a comparison of the redox potential at 6 meter depth in the year 2014 in the measuring points 4 and 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0111] FIG. 15 shows a graph with a comparison of the oxygen content in the year 2014 in the measuring points 4 and 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0112] FIG. 16 shows a graph with a comparison of the phosphorous concentration in the year 2014 in the measuring points 4 and 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0113] FIG. 17 shows a graph with a comparison of the ammonium N-concentration at 6 meter depth in the year 2014 in the measuring points 4 and 6 of Lake Schäfersee as indicated in FIG. 2;

[0114] FIG. 18 provides is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a system for remediation and/or restoration of an anoxic body of water, wherein water from the anoxic body of water is pumped out of the body of water and is mixed with calcium nitrate solution and oxygen, the mixture being pumped back into the anoxic body of water;

[0115] FIG. 19 provides a graphical representation of a first embodiment of a system for remediation and/or restoration of the hypolimnion of a thermally stratified body of water, wherein water is pumped out of the epilimnion of the thermally stratified body of water and is mixed with calcium nitrate solution, the mixture being pumped back into the hypolimnion;

[0116] FIG. 20 provides a graphical representation of a second embodiment of a system for remediation and/or restoration of the hypolimnion of a thermally stratified body of water, wherein groundwater is pumped out of a groundwater source located in the vicinity of the epilimnion of the thermally stratified body of water and is mixed with oxygen and calcium nitrate solution in a mixing device, the mixture being pumped back into the hypolimnion of the thermally stratified body of water;

[0117] FIG. 21 provides a graphical representation of a third embodiment of a system for remediation and/or restoration of the hypolimnion of a thermally stratified body of water, wherein water is pumped out of the hypolimnion and is mixed with oxygen and calcium nitrate solution in a mixing device, the mixture being pumped back into the hypolimnion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0118] The present invention relates to a method for remediation and/or restoration of an anoxic body of water, particularly for remediation and/or restoration of a body of water comprising an anoxic body of water wherein the anoxic body of water is an underlying water layer lying below a surface water layer, wherein a calcium nitrate solution is added to the anoxic body of water, wherein the method comprises the steps of [0119] mixing water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150% with the calcium nitrate solution, resulting in a mixture; and [0120] pumping the mixture into the body of water, preferably the anoxic body of water.

[0121] In particular embodiments, the water having a percent of oxygen saturation as defined herein is taken from the surface water layer, the underlying water layer or a ground water source in the vicinity of the surface water layer and is subsequently mixed with oxygen via an oxygen mixing means. In more particular embodiments, the water having a percent of oxygen saturation as defined herein is taken from the underlying water layer or a ground water source in the vicinity of the surface water layer and is subsequently mixed with oxygen via an oxygen mixing means. In particularly preferred embodiments, the water having a percent of oxygen saturation is taken from an underlying water lying beneath a surface water layer, such as the hypolimnion of a thermally stratified body of water or the anoxic water layer contained in the sludge or sediment layer of a body of water.

[0122] In particular embodiments the mixing step comprises mixing water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 75% and 125% with the calcium nitrate solution, resulting in a mixture, more particular having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 95% and 105%.

[0123] The final concentration of nitrate-N in the remedied and/or restored anoxic body should preferably not exceed 5 mg/l of water, in particular between 1 and 5 mg/l of water, such as for instance 1 mg/l of water, 2 mg/l of water, 3 mg/l of water, 4 mg/l of water or 5 mg/l of water.

[0124] The calcium nitrate solution that is used to remedy and/or restore the anoxic body of water can have different concentrations, preferably ranging between 5 and 55 weight % calcium nitrate solutions, more preferably between 35 and 55 weight % calcium nitrate solutions, such as for instance 40 weight %, 42.5 weight %, 45 weight %, 47.5 weight %, 50 weight %, 51 weight %, 52 weight %, 53 weight %, 54 weight % or 55 weight % calcium nitrate solutions. The most commonly used calcium nitrate solution is a 45 weight % calcium nitrate solution. In countries with a warmer climate, also 51 to 52 weight % calcium nitrate solutions can be used. There however also exist other calcium nitrate solutions such as 8 weight % calcium nitrate solutions. It is a fact that a higher concentration is more useful to treat bigger volumes of water.

[0125] The mixture of water and calcium nitrate has preferably a concentration of calcium nitrate-N of between 10 mg/l and 1000 mg/l, depending on the volume and the flow of the hypolimnion.

[0126] An anoxic body of water most commonly occurs as an underlying water layer lying beneath a surface water layer or a surface water layer and one or more other water layers, such as e.g. the hypolimnion in a thermally stratified body of water, or the water layer contained in the sludge or sediment layer of a body of water. This does however not take away the fact that under certain circumstances, also a flat body of water can be completely anoxic.

[0127] As can be seen in the embodiment represented in FIG. 18, in case an anoxic body of water (10) existing out of one layer has to be remedied and/or restored, water is pumped out of the anoxic body of water (10) itself by means of a second pumping means (6) that is provided for pumping water via a piping (7) to a mixer (2). In this mixer (2), the water that is pumped out of the anoxic body of water (10) is mixed with calcium nitrate solution (3), which is pumped via a pump (9) into the mixer (2), and oxygen, such as air or pure (100%) oxygen (4) is added until water is obtained having an oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, and more particularly 100%. The second pumping means (6) for instance are in the form of hydraulic pump means. The mixer (2) for instance is in the form of a mechanical mixing means. The mixture coming out of the mixer (2) is then pumped via piping (8) using a first pumping means (5) into the anoxic body of water (10). This process is done until the final concentration of nitrate-N in the treated anoxic body of water (10) is between 1 to 20 mg nitrate-N per liter water, and more specifically between 1 and 5 mg nitrate-N per liter water.

[0128] To remedy and/or restore anoxic bodies of water (10) forming an underlying water layer, water from different sources can be used to be mixed with the calcium nitrate solution. It is possible to mix already naturally oxygen saturated water from the surface (upper) layer of water with the calcium nitrate solution. No additional aeration of such water is necessary.

[0129] It is furthermore also possible to mix water from the underlying water layer (or anoxic body of water, such as e.g. water from the hypolimnion or from the sludge or sediment layer) itself or ground water from a ground water source that is situated in the vicinity of the underlying water layer with the calcium nitrate solution. In these two cases, there will not be sufficient oxygen in the water to activate and keep activated the nitrification and denitrification process, and thus, additional oxygen, preferably 100% pure oxygen, has to be mixed with the calcium nitrate solution and the water of the underlying body of water or the ground water.

[0130] The method according to the invention is typically applicable to remedy and/or restore the bottom layer of a thermally stratified body of water. Thermal stratification of water bodies refers to a change in the temperature at different depths in the water body, and is due to the change in water's density with temperature. Thermal stratification typically occurs in lakes, but can also occur in ponds, rivers and the like.

[0131] As can be seen in the different embodiments represented in FIGS. 19 to 21, a thermally stratified body of water (20) in general exists of [0132] a hypolimnion (10), the bottom layer; [0133] a metalimnion or thermocline (11), the middle layer that may change depth throughout the day; and [0134] an epilimnion (12), the upper or surface layer.

[0135] In case the method is to be applied on a thermally stratified body of water (20), the water that is mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3) can be taken either form the epilimnion (12) (see FIG. 19), either from the hypolimnion (10) (see FIG. 21), either from groundwater (13) in the vicinity of the epilimnion (12) of the lake (20) (see FIG. 20), or from water separated from the sludge or sediment layer. Whatever water is used, it has to have a percentage of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, more specifically around 100%. Since epilimnic water usually is saturated around 100% with oxygen, it is not necessary to have an additional aeration. The aeration treatment step is in that case dispensable or optional. When however groundwater or water from the hypolimnion or separated from the sludge or sediment is used, oxygen, preferably in the form of 100% pure oxygen, is preferably mixed with the water that is mixed with the calcium nitrate.

[0136] In particular embodiments, the system (1) for the remediation and/or restoration of an anoxic body of water, more specifically the hypolimnion (10) of a thermally stratified body of water (20), is provided with a mixing device (2), which is arranged to mix the calcium nitrate solution (3) with the water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, resulting in a mixture. The system (1) comprises first pumping means (5) for pumping the resulting mixture into the anoxic body of water, more specifically the hypolimnion (10).

[0137] The system (1) further comprises second pumping means (6) for pumping (up) the water that is mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3) via piping (7). These second pumping means (6) can either be provided for pumping [0138] (oxygenated) water from underlying water layer the epilimnion (12), as shown in FIG. 19; [0139] (oxygen-poor) ground water (13) situated in the vicinity of the underlying or surface water layer more specifically the surface water layer, as shown in FIG. 20; or [0140] (oxygen-depleted) water from the underlying water layer hypolimnion (10) itself, as shown in FIG. 21; or [0141] (oxygen-depleted) water from the sediment layer as underlying water layer.

[0142] Typically, the system further comprises an oxygen mixing means for mixing oxygen (4) into the water. Particular in case the water that is to be mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3) is pumped out of underlying water layer the hypolimnion (10) or the sediment layer, or ground water (13), the system (1) also comprises oxygen mixing means for mixing oxygen (4) into that water. In an embodiment, these oxygen mixing means form part of the mixing device (2). As can be seen on FIGS. 20 and 21, the water from the hypolimnion (10) or the ground water (13) is preferably first mixed with oxygen (4) in order to elevate the percent of oxygen saturation to between 50% and 100%, most specifically approximately 100%, and then mixed with the calcium nitrate solution (3), and finally pumped back into underlying water layer the hypolimnion (10) via a piping (8) using the first pumping means (5). The mixture is pumped back into the hypolimnion (10) in a way to minimally disorder the thermal stratification of the water body (20).

[0143] The mixing device (2) preferably forms part of an onshore (land) station.

[0144] In particular embodiments, the system for remediation and/or restoration of a body of water comprising an anoxic body of water is arranged to perform a method as described herein, wherein the system is provided with means to add a calcium nitrate solution to the anoxic body of water, wherein the means to add the calcium nitrate solution to the anoxic body of water comprises a mixing device arranged to mix the calcium nitrate solution with water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, resulting in a mixture, and wherein the system further comprises first pumping means for pumping the mixture into the body of water and optionally second pumping means for pumping up the water that is to be mixed with the calcium nitrate solution towards the mixing device.

[0145] Another aspect provides for the use of a calcium nitrate solution mixed with water having a percent of oxygen saturation of between 50% and 150%, preferably around 100%, for prevention of a reducing environment having a negative redox potential and with anoxic biological processes in an anoxic body of water and/or for the binding and prevention of release and remobilization of nutrients, particularly phosphor out of an anoxic body of water.

[0146] The present invention will be now described in more detail referring to an example that is not limitative to the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0147] Partial desludging of Lake Schäfersee in Berlin, Reinickendorf, covered in the years 2013-2014, the riparian area to a depth of 3.5 meter. The lake had a maximum depth of 6-7 meter. The total area of the lake was 4.14 hectare. The area to be desludged made part of about 1.55 hectare. Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 1, in the restoration project, a big part of the lake with an area of 2.6 hectare, corresponding to about 63% of the total floor are, was not covered by the desludging process. With regards to this non-desludged area, it concerned a volume of hypolimnion of around 50,000 m.sup.3 and made a bit less than ⅓.sup.rd of the total volume of 170,000 m.sup.3. The water investigation, carried out by Büro Wassmann from Borgsdorf in July 2013, prior to the restoration, showed a significant oxygen deficiency in the deepwater area (hypolimnion). Associated decay processes in the form of hydrogen sulfide production were confirmed by a negative redox potential. Furthermore, the reducing environment promoted redissolution of nutrient, in particular from phosphorus, from the sediment, which affected the worsening trophic state. A desludging of the areas below a depth of 3.5 meter would have been possible, but also a very costly measure.

[0148] Therefore, in addition to partial desludging, of the less deep part of the lake, the deep water part of the lake was treated with a predefined concentration of nitrate-N. For these tests, the monitored discharge of treated water having a depth of 5 meter was developed. In order to determine an efficient concentration of calcium nitrate for the treatment of the deep water, laboratory experiments were carried out with four sediment cores having a depth of 7 meters and using different start concentrations of nitrate-N. A discharging period of nitrate of three weeks into the hypolimnion was applied. For the treatment, a final concentration of 5 mg/l nitrate-N was aimed for. A pre-diluted concentration of 100 mg/l calcium nitrate was used. The concentration of the nitrate and other parameters were at least weekly checked at several measuring points to examine the depth and the spatial distribution. In FIG. 2, the positions of the injection and the measuring points in the Schäfersee are shown.

[0149] On FIG. 3, it can be seen that the concentration of nitrate was at the measuring point 6 in deep water at 6 meters in June below the detection limit of 0.23 mg/l nitrate-N. A few days after discharging, the concentration of calcium nitrate was 3.4 mg/l nitrate-N on 18 Jul. 2014. After completion of the preliminary phase, the concentration was reduced to mid-August to 0.93 mg/l nitrate-N. Surprisingly, the nitrate concentration increased until the end of August and remained at this level up to the end of the measuring phase in November at 1.5 mg nitrate-N /1 water. To the contrary, under untreated conditions in the fall of 2013 from October to December, no nitrate was detected (the nitrate-N concentration was below the detection limit of 0.23 mg/l), what is representing a normal state of the deep water in the Schäfersee.

[0150] The application of nitrate led to the formation of nitrite. As can be seen in FIG. 4, this appeared from mid-August 2014 and reached a maximum concentration of about 0.75 mg/l nitrite-N, remaining well below the defined maximum value of 1 mg/l nitrate-N.

[0151] The normal state in the deep water of the Schäfersee is the development of an anoxic milieu also indicated by a negative redox potential. As can be seen in FIG. 5, investigations from July 2013 to July 2014 showed a negative redox potential in the summer months, which probably appear every year. So, a negative redox potential was observed with oxygen deficiency in the deep water at the beginning of the studies in August and September 2013. At the end of spring 2014, the lake developed reducing conditions and declining oxygen concentrations in the deep water. In June and July 2014, the redox potential was strongly negative.

[0152] As can be seen in FIG. 5, after the beginning of the initiation phase of calcium nitrate in July 2014, the redox potential changed within a few days into positive values and remained stable at this level until the end of the measuring phase in November 2014.

[0153] As can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, along with the increasing nitrate concentration and the positive redox potential, also a change of the oxygen conditions was observed. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the oxygen concentration was in the range of 2-5 mg/l in 5 meter depth from July to September. This is however not caused by the pure nitrate application, but rather as a side effect of the discharge of oxygen-enriched water into the deep water. The long-lasting effect is however remarkable because the application of calcium nitrate was terminated at the end of July and no more molecular oxygen was supplied.

[0154] In the deep water of the Schäfersee, in 2013, extreme high phosphorus concentrations of 1.5-2.5 mg/l (see FIG. 8) and nitrogen concentrations of 14-20 mg/l (see FIGS. 9 and 10) were determined. This can be explained by a strong redissolution of nutrients from the sediment of the lake, which was triggered by the also confirmed reducing conditions (see FIG. 5).

[0155] The COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) is declining because ammonium, reduced sulfur (hydrogen sulfide) and diluted or solid organic substances are oxidized. FIG. 12 shows the process of sulphur oxidization resulting in an increase of sulfate.

[0156] To investigate the spatial distribution of the addition of the calcium nitrate solution, comparative measurements were done of the probe parameters (in-situ), as well as laboratory parameters were done at a second location a little further away from the introduction point of the calcium nitrate solution, i.e. in measuring point 4 as can be seen on FIG. 2.

[0157] The measurements of the total nitrate-N concentration, the ammonium-N concentration, the redox potential, the oxygen content and the total phosphorous concentration that were done at measuring point 6 as indicated in FIG. 2 have also been done at measuring point 4. As can be seen in FIG. 13, the spatial distribution of nitrate-N was detected with a time lag of about three weeks.

[0158] The same could be observed with the other parameters. As can be seen in FIG. 14, the redox potential increased in measuring point 4 towards the end of August 2014 with the same positive value of about +100 mV as in measuring point 6. As can be seen in FIG. 15, oxygen was detected in measuring point 6 as well as in measuring point 4.

[0159] In order to investigate the redissolution of the nutrients from the lake sediment, the total phosphorus content was also determined at measuring point 4. In accordance with the delayed distribution on total nitrate-N, also the reduction of the phosphorus was delayed. As can be seen in FIG. 16, at the beginning of the redissolution of phosphorus, concentrations of P up to 1.3 mg/l were obtained in early August 2014 in measuring point 4. However, with an increasing total nitrate-N concentration and increasing redox potential, an equally sharp decline in the phosphorus concentration to values below 0.1 mg/l was determined.

[0160] As can be seen in FIG. 17, similar behavior of the oxidation of ammonia could be seen. At measuring point 4 in August 2014, a concentration of ammonium-N below the detection limit of 0.05 mg/l was reached.

Example 2

[0161] This example shows a way of the calculation of the necessary CN concentrations, with a focus on the variability of the different parameters such as stock solution, first dilution etc. depending on the water flow, injection periods, etc. Depending on the sum of different parameters, there is a wide range of possible values for starting concentrations and dilutions, to obtain the final concentration in the water body, here Lake Schäfersee. Optimization and therefore measurements are necessary because in every water body, the conditions of microbiological processes are different. Also the detection of the right time for injection measurements of temperature, oxygen and redoxpotential in a depth profile are necessary. The right time for injection for stratified lakes is a stable stratification, beginning anoxia and a negative redoxpotential/anoxia for shallow lakes. Furthermore, the control of nitrate and oxygen is necessary to adjust the right dosage of nitrate when it is differing from the first calculations. The measurement of nitrite and chloride is important for the detection of fish toxicity.

[0162] The volume of the hypolimnion of Lake Schäfersee to be remedied and/or restored is about 50,000 m.sup.3. To ensure to reach a final concentration of 2 mg nitrate-N/1 water N, 2000 l of CN45 (=a calcium nitrate solution with a 45 weight % of calcium nitrate), providing 220 kg nitrate-N, was applied in the initial stage of the treatment process. In that way, a medium concentration of 4.4 mg nitrate-N/l water is obtained. Taking into account a loss of half of this medium concentration by spontaneous denitrification and other microbiological processes, a final concentration of 2.2 mg nitrate-N/l water was obtained. The calcium nitrate solution was dosed into the hypolimnion by means of a pump having a flow of 50 m.sup.3/hour. The pump worked 8 hours per working day and 5 working days in a working week. A final volume of 6.000 m.sup.3 of calcium nitrate was pumped into the hypolimnion, which is nearly 12% of the total volume of the hypolimnion. In this case, the oxidized stock volume was concentrated up to 0.037 g nitrate-N per liter water.