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›› 2015, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (2): 312-319.

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An overview on application of dual isotope compositions of nitrate in different ecosystems

ZHANG  Jin1,MA  Jinzhu2,CHEN Chun-wu1,PAN  Kun1,BAO  Lei2   

  1. (1    Kunming Survey and Design Institute of State Forestry Administration,Kunming  650216,Yunnan,China;
    2    Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems(MoE),Lanzhou University,Lanzhou  730000,Gansu,China)
  • Received:2014-08-14 Revised:2014-11-10 Online:2015-03-25

Abstract: Nitrate,as one of the significant compositions of the nitrogen cycling,has become the main contamination of groundwater. The sources of nitrate include natural and anthropogenic sources. Different sources of nitrate have the different isotopic characteristics,hence the dual isotopic compositions of nitrate can be used to differentiate the sources of nitrate,and trace the migration and transformation processes. The paper reviews the main sources of nitrate and their characteristics. And with the analytical advances,the isotope techniques of δ15N-NO3-,δ18O-NO3- are adopted in different ecosystems over the world,for instance in agriculture,desert,forest,and megacities. However,complex fractionation processes and admixture of multiple sources of nitrate always make it difficult to identify the sources,which can be minimized or eliminated by multi-isotope and multi-tracer with the developed analysis methods and models.

Key words: nitrate, δ15N-NO3-, δ18O-NO3-, ecosystems

CLC Number: 

  • Q142.6