Research Advances in the Analysis of Nitrate Pollution Sources in a Freshwater Environment Using ? 15 N-NO 3 ? and ? 18 O-NO 3 ?

Chao Niu, Tianlun Zhai, Qianqian Zhang, Huiwei Wang and Lele Xiao
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Chao Niu: College of Geology and Environment, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
Tianlun Zhai: Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Qianqian Zhang: Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Huiwei Wang: Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Lele Xiao: College of Geology and Environment, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-14

Abstract: Nitrate is usually the main pollution factor in the river water and groundwater environment because it has the characteristics of stable properties, high solubility and easy migration. In order to ensure the safety of water supply and effectively control nitrate pollution, it is very important to accurately identify the pollution sources of nitrate in freshwater environment. At present, as the most accurate source analysis method, isotope technology is widely used to identify the pollution sources of nitrate in water environment. However, the complexity of nitrate pollution sources and nitrogen migration and transformation in the water environment, coupled with the isotopic fractionation, has changed the nitrogen and oxygen isotopic values of nitrate in the initial water body, resulting in certain limitations in the application of this technology. This review systematically summarized the typical ? 15 N and ? 18 O-NO 3 ? ranges of NO 3 ? sources, described the progress in the application of isotope technique to identify nitrate pollution sources in water environment, analyzed the application of isotope technique in identifying the migration and transformation of nitrogen in water environment, and introduced the method of quantitative source apportionment. Lastly, we discussed the deficiency of isotope technique in nitrate pollution source identification and described the future development direction of the pollution source apportionment of nitrate in water environment.

Keywords: nitrate; isotope technique; pollution sources; isotopic fractionation; source apportionment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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