Abstract
An elevated level of NO 3 (mean value for 1981 was 53 mg l −1 NO 3 as NO 3 − occurs in phreatic groundwater in the Coastal Plain sandy aquifer, Israel. NO 3 − in water with a wide range of concentrations has δ 15N in the range of +4.7 to + 11.4‰ , suggesting derivation from oxidation of soil organic matter and (in specific cases) from animal wastes. Only one sample has δ 15N = −0.3‰ that would indicate derivation through fertilizer application. Water from sewage treatment plant used for irrigation, or for filtration into the aquifer, is highly enriched in 15N ( + 19.2 to +28.8‰), reflecting ammonia volatilization. The isotopic data are consistent with the model presented by Ronen et al. that suggested that the main sources of NO 3 contamination in groundwater in the region are: oxidation of organic matter during cultivation of virgin land and swamp reclamation.
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