Identification of nitrate sources in groundwater using a stable isotope and 3DEEM in a landfill in Northeast China

Sci Total Environ. 2016 Sep 1:563-564:593-9. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.117. Epub 2016 May 13.

Abstract

The groundwater was sampled in a typical landfill area of the Northeast China. Coupled stable isotope and three dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3DEEM) were applied to dentify diffused NO3(-) inputs in the groundwater in this area. The results indicated that combined with the feature of groundwater hydrochemistry and three-dimensional fluorescence technology can effectively identify the nitrate pollution sources. The nitrate was derived from manure and sewage by δ(15)N and δ(18)O-NO3(-) values of groundwater in the different periods. The excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy was further evidence of groundwater DOM mainly which comes from the landfill. The protein-like was very significant at the sampling points near the landfill (SPNL), but only fulvic acid-like appeared at downstream of the landfill groundwater sampling points (DLGSP) in the study area. Partial denitrification processes helped to attenuate nitrate concentration in anaerobic environment.

Keywords: 3DEEM; Denitrification; Groundwater; Nitrate; Sources; Stable isotope.

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Groundwater / analysis*
  • Nitrates / analysis*
  • Waste Disposal Facilities*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

  • Nitrates
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical