It has been more important for management of water quality to estimate the amount of bioavailable phosphorus (BAP) in suspended solids (SS) entering lakes and estuaries. AGP test or extraction by 0.1 mol l−1 NaOH (C-BOD) is widely used. Recently, highly bioavailable phosphorus (HBAP) was introduced to indicate a more easily soluble and bioavailable fraction using successive extraction by 0.1 mol l−1 HCl and 0.1 mol l−1 NaOH. New biologically measured BAP (B-BAP) using bacterial respiration activity was introduced in this paper. B-BAP was estimated from oxygen uptake rate (OUR), which was measured by a respiratory meter for BOD measurement using a pressure sensor. B-BAP is useful for a rapid and direct measurement of phosphorus bioavailability. B-BAP, HBAP and C-BAP in river SS were measured and compared with each other. The percentages of HBAP and B-BAP to PP were large in the urban river, while the percentage of NaOH-P or C-BAP was large in the rivers flowing in agricultural areas. By comparison with phosphorus fractions in paddy soil and activated sludge it was suggested that SS in the rivers flowing in agricultural areas mainly consisted of clay, silt or sand, while the SS in the urban river consisted of a large percentage of organic particles as well. Phosphorus in SS was suggested to be more easily bioavailable in the urban river than the rivers in agricultural areas. The ratio of C-BAP/B-BAP was large in the rivers in agricultural areas and small in the urban river. As HBAP contents were almost similar to B-BAP contents in the river SS, HBAP can be a suitable index of phosphorus indicating easily and rapidly the bioavailable fraction in SS. Keywords Bacterial respiration; bioavailable phosphorus; eutrophication; lake water management; oxygen uptake rate; phosphate analysis