A dual isotope approach to identify denitrification in groundwater at a river-bank infiltration site

Fukada, Teppei, Hiscock, Kevin M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4505-1496, Dennis, Paul F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0307-4406 and Grischek, Thomas (2003) A dual isotope approach to identify denitrification in groundwater at a river-bank infiltration site. Water Research, 37 (13). pp. 3070-3078. ISSN 1879-2448

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Abstract

The identification of denitrification in the Torgau sand and gravel aquifer, Germany, was carried out by a dual isotope method of measuring both the d15N and d18O in NO3-. Samples were prepared by an anion exchange resin method (Silva et al., J. Hydrol. 228 (2000) 22) with a modification to the AgNO3-drying process from a freeze-drying to an oven-drying method. The occurrence of denitrification in the aquifer was confirmed by comparing the reduction of dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon and NO3- concentrations with the dual isotope signatures. High nitrate concentrations were associated with low d15N and d18O values, and vice versa. The denitrification accords with a Rayleigh equation with calculated enrichment factors of =-13.62‰ for d15N and =-9.80‰ for d18O. The slope of the straight-line relationship between the d15N and d18O data demonstrated that the enrichment of the heavy nitrogen isotope was higher by a factor of 1.3 compared with the heavy oxygen isotope. It is concluded that the identification of this factor is a useful means for confirming denitrification in future groundwater studies.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Geosciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Water Security Research Centre Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Depositing User:	Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited:	18 May 2011 14:31
Last Modified:	13 Apr 2023 13:39
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/30854
DOI:	10.1016/S0043-1354(03)00176-3

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