This study investigated the characteristics of P sorption in sediments from three lakes with different trophic statuses (moderately eutrophic, lightly eutrophic and moderately trophic) through kinetic, batch equilibrium and thermodynamic experiments.  Fitting by modified Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms indicates that the moderately trophic lake sediment has higher sorption capacity (maximum of 0.848 mg g-1 at 35°C) than the sediments of the other two lakes at different temperatures (5, 15, 25 and 35°C).  Thermodynamic results indicate that the processes of P sorption of the three sediments are spontaneous, entropy-driven and endothermic reactions.  The risk of P release in sediments was analysed according to the calculated results of isotherms combined with the change in P fraction.  Furthermore, the amounts of reductant-soluble P, calcium-bound P and iron-bound P are significantly related to the sorption capacity of sediments from the three lakes (p < 0.05). 
THERM