1. Nitrate isotopes reveal N-cycled waters in a spring-fed agricultural catchment.
- Author
-
Matiatos I, Araguás-Araguás L, Wassenaar LI, Monteiro LR, Harjung A, Douence C, and Kralik M
- Subjects
- Nitrogen Isotopes analysis, Nitrates analysis, Seasons, Environmental Monitoring methods, China, Water Pollutants, Chemical analysis, Groundwater chemistry
- Abstract
Nitrate stable isotopes provide information about nitrate contamination and cycling by microbial processes. The Fischa-Dagnitz (Austria) spring and river system in the agricultural catchment of the Vienna basin shows minor annual variance in nitrate concentrations. We measured nitrate isotopes ( δ
15 N, δ18 O) in the source spring and river up to the confluence with the Danube River (2019-2020) with chemical and water isotopes to assess mixing and nitrate transformation processes. The Fischa-Dagnitz spring showed almost stable nitrate concentration (3.3 ± 1.0 mg/l as NO3 - values ranging from +5.5 to +11.1‰ and from +0.5 to +8.1‰, respectively. The higher nitrate isotope values in summer were attributed to release of older denitrified water from the spring whose isotope signal was dampened downstream by mixing. A mixing model suggested denitrified groundwater contributed > 50 % of spring discharge at baseflow conditions. The isotopic composition of NO δ15 N, δ18 O-NO3 - values ranging from +5.5 to +11.1‰ and from +0.5 to +8.1‰, respectively. The higher nitrate isotope values in summer were attributed to release of older denitrified water from the spring whose isotope signal was dampened downstream by mixing. A mixing model suggested denitrified groundwater contributed > 50 % of spring discharge at baseflow conditions. The isotopic composition of NO3 - in the gaining streams was partly controlled by nitrification during autumn and winter months and assimilation during the growing season resulting in low and high δ15 N-NO3 - values, respectively. NO3 - isotope variation helped disentangle denitrified groundwater inputs and biochemical cycling processes despite minor variation of NO3 - concentration.- Published
- 2023
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