Identification of nitrate sources of groundwaters in the Zhaotong basin using hydrochemistry, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes and its impact on the environment

REN Kun; PAN Xiaodong; PENG Cong; LIANG Jiapeng; ZENG Jie; GAN Mingwei; ZHANG Hua; WEI Liangshuai

doi:10.12029/gc20220205

GEOLOGY IN CHINA > 2022 > 49(2): 409-419. > DOI: 10.12029/gc20220205

REN Kun, PAN Xiaodong, PENG Cong, LIANG Jiapeng, ZENG Jie, GAN Mingwei, ZHANG Hua, WEI Liangshuai. Identification of nitrate sources of groundwaters in the Zhaotong basin using hydrochemistry, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes and its impact on the environment[J]. GEOLOGY IN CHINA, 2022, 49(2): 409-419. DOI: 10.12029/gc20220205

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Identification of nitrate sources of groundwaters in the Zhaotong basin using hydrochemistry, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes and its impact on the environment

1.
Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin 541004, Guangxi, China
2.
Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, Ministry of Natural Resources&Guangxi, Guilin 541004, Guangxi, China
3.
School of Environmental studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 43007, Hubei, China
4.
Yunnan Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring, Kunming 650216, Yunnan, China
5.
Institute of Exploration Technology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Chengdu 611734, Sichuan, China

Funds:

the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation 2021JJA150041

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 41702278

the project of China Geological Survey DD20221758

the project of China Geological Survey DD20190326

More Information

Author Bio:
REN Kun, male, born in 1988, doctor candidate, research assistant, engaged in the research on groundwater environment and isotope geochemistry; E-mail: rkhblhk@163.com
Corresponding author:
PAN Xiaodong, male, born in 1984, doctor candidate, professor engineer, engaged in the research on hydro-geology and engineering geology; E-mail: panxiaodong@karst.ac.cn
Received Date: February 02, 2021
Revised Date: March 27, 2021
Available Online: September 25, 2023

Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

This paper is the result of the water resources and environmental geological survey engineering.
Objective
Nitrate contamination of groundwater is becoming more and more serious resulting from intensive human activities.
Methods
Hydrochemistry and stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopes were used to trace the nitrate sources and transformation groundwaters in the Zhaotong basin, China. As well as, the origin of nitrate in the spring and well waters was quantitatively analyzed by SIAR model.
Results
The results showed that: (1) The water quality of boreholes is good, while approximately 19% of the spring samples are not drinkable due to nitrate exceed the drinking water standard, and 13% of the well samples are unsuited to irrigation due to the high nitrate concentrations; (2) The ranges of δ¹⁵N_NO₃ in spring and well waters were 2.4‰-18‰ (mean of 7.9‰) and －4.5‰-39.7‰ (mean of 17.3‰), respectively, and the values of δ¹⁸O_NO₃ ranged from －8.8‰ to 39.3‰ (mean of 2.5‰), and from －16.4‰ to 26.7‰ (mean of 0‰), respectively. Based on the hydrochemical data and stable isotopic compositions, nitrification was the dominant process in the study area; (3) Nitrate in spring and well waters were mainly from manure & sewage, soil nitrogen, and ammonium nitrogen fertilizer. The SIAR model showed that the contributions of manure & sewage, soil nitrogen, and ammonium nitrogen fertilizer to spring were 48%, 28% and 24%, respectively, and to well water were 87%, 6% and 7%, respectively.
Conclusions
Manure & sewage end-member accounted for 89% and 72% in the groundwaters from residential and agricultural areas, respectively, while it only accounted for 27% in the groundwater from forestry land, indicating that the more strongly affected by human activities, the more serious nitrate contamination of groundwater.
- nitrogen and oxygen isotopes,
- nitrate,
- groundwater,
- hydrochemistry,
- sources identification,
- transformation,
- hydrogeological survey engineering,
- Zhaotong basin,
- Yunnan Province

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References (46)

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Identification of nitrate sources of groundwaters in the Zhaotong basin using hydrochemistry, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes and its impact on the environment

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