The researchers studied the nutrients in the Southampton Water system to understand phosphorus levels and their impact on the ecosystem. They found that sewage inputs greatly influence phosphorus concentrations, with high levels near sewage works. The system may have a phosphorus limitation for phytoplankton growth. Sediments act as a sink for dissolved inorganic phosphorus and a source of dissolved organic phosphorus. The dominant form of inorganic phosphorus in sediments is Ca-bound phosphorus. The study suggests that phosphorus-saturated particles near sewage outfalls are buried before reaching high salinity waters.