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  • Title: Assessment of temporal and spatial differences of source apportionment of nitrate in an urban river in China, using δ(15)N and δ(18)O values and an isotope mixing model.
    Author: Zhang Q, Wang X, Sun F, Sun J, Liu J, Ouyang Z.
    Journal: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int; 2015 Dec; 22(24):20226-33. PubMed ID: 26527336.
    Abstract:
    Nitrate contamination in surface water has become an environmental problem widespread concern. In this study, environmental isotopes (δ(15)N-NO3 (-) and δ(18)O-NO3 (-)) and the chemical compositions of water samples from an urban river in Chongqing, China, were analyzed to evaluate the primary sources of nitrate pollution. A Bayesian isotope mixing model was applied to estimate the relative contributions of five potential NO3 (-) sources to river pollution (sewage/manure, soil N, NH4 (+) in fertilizer and precipitation, NO3 (-) fertilizer, and NO3 (-) in precipitation). The results show that the urban river was affected by NO3 (-) pollution from multiple sources. The major sources of NO3 (-) pollution in the dry season were sewage/manure (38-50 %) and soil N (22-26 %); in the wet season, the major sources of NO3 (-) pollution were sewage/manure (30-37 %), soil N (16-25 %), and precipitation (14-24 %). The higher contribution of N to the river water by precipitation indicates that atmospheric N deposition has become an important source of pollution in surface water in China. We conclude that domestic sewage is still the main contributor to NO3 (-) pollution in urban rivers in China. The discharge of domestic sewage into rivers should be prohibited as a priority measure to prevent NO3 (-) contamination.
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