Assessment of sources and transformation of nitrate in the alluvial-pluvial fan region of north China using a multi-isotope approach

Abstract

A multi-isotope approach and mixing model were combined to identify spatial and seasonal variations of sources, and their proportional contribution to nitrate in the Hutuo River alluvial-pluvial fan region. The results showed that the NO3− concentration was significantly higher in the Hutuo River valley plain (178.7 mg/L) region than that in the upper and central pluvial fans of the Hutuo River (82.1 mg/L and 71.0 mg/L, respectively) and in the river (17.0 mg/L). Different land use types had no significant effect on the groundwater nitrate concentration. Based on a multi-isotope approach, we confirmed that the main sources of groundwater nitrate in different land use areas were domestic sewage and manure, followed by soil nitrogen, ammonia fertilizer, nitrate fertilizer and rainwater, and there were no significant spatial or seasonal variations. Combining δ15N–NO3-, δ18O–NO3- and δ37Cl results can increase the accuracy of traceability. Nitrification could be the most important nitrogen migration and transformation process, and denitrification did not significantly affected the isotopic composition of the nitrate. The SIAR model outputs revealed that the main nitrate pollution sources in groundwater and river water were domestic sewage and manure, accounting for 55.9%–61.0% and 22.6% (dry season), 50.3%–60.4% and 34.1% (transition season), 42.7%–47.6% and 35.6% (wet season 2016) and 45.9%–46.7% and 38.4% (wet season 2017), respectively. This work suggests that the random discharge and disposal of domestic sewage and manure should be the first target for control in order to prevent further nitrate contamination of the water environment.