Isotopic studies of nitrogen pollution in the hydrosphere and atmosphere: A review

Heaton, T.H.E.

doi:10.1016/0168-9622(86)90059-x

Cited by 951 publications

(472 citation statements)

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“…Nitrogen stable isotope ratio (δ 15 N) has been successfully applied to trace nitrogen sources over the last decade, depending on their specific signatures (McClelland and Valiela, 1998;Savage and Elmgren, 2004;Ochoa-Izaguirre and Soto-Jiménez, 2013;Viana and Bode, 2015). For example, sewage effluent or animal wastewaters are characterized by high values of δ 15 N, from 7‰ to 50.1‰ (Kendall, 1998;Savage and Elmgren, 2004;Dailer et al, 2010), while fertilizer derived from industrial fixation of N 2 are depleted in δ 15 N values, from − 7.5‰ to 6.6‰ (Heaton, 1986;Macko and Ostrom, 1994;Vitòria et al, 2004;Dailer et al, 2010). Particularly, the use of δ 15 N of macroalgae and other autotrophic organisms to identify nitrogen sources in coastal ecosystems has become more popular in the last few years, e.g., Moreton Bay, Australia (Costanzo et al, 2001), Himmerfjärden Bay, Sweden (Savage and Elmgren, 2004), Baltic Sea (Deutsch and Voss, 2006;Schubert et al, 2013), Hanalei Bay, Kauai, USA (Derse et al, 2007), Narragansett Bay, RI, USA (Thornber et al, 2008), Gulf of California, USA (Piñón-Gimate et al, 2009;Soto-Jiménez, 2013, 2015), Maui, Hawai'i, USA (Dailer et al, 2010), Ría de A Coruña, Northwestern Spain Bode, 2013, 2015), and Marennes-Olèron Bay, France (Raimonet et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection of effective macroalgal species and tracing nitrogen sources on the different part of Yantai coast, China indicated by macroalgal δ15N values

Wang

Chen

Richard

et al. 2016

Science of The Total Environment

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• Yantai coast was affected by three types of DIN sources.• Macroalgal species suitable or not for DIN source tracing were suggested; • TN and δ 15 N were affected by nutrient concentrations and the metabolic factors.• P instead of N limited the tissue N uptake in low nutrient concentration sites. G R A P H I C A L A B S T R A C Ta b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o To determine the dominant nitrogen sources and select effective macroalgal species for monitoring eutrophication along the Yantai coast, the total carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and nitrogen stable isotope ratio (δ 15 N) in macroalgal tissue were analyzed in conjunction with environmental variables in seawater along the Yantai coastline. The ranges of macroalgal tissue δ 15 N values together with dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) composition indicated that except for the atmospheric deposition, there were three dominant types of nitrogen sources along the Yantai coast, with the agricultural fertilizer usage and factorial wastewater input at the S1 (Zhifu Island coast), the sewage discharge at S2 (the Moon Bay coast), the sewage discharge together with aquaculture impacts at S3 (Fisherman Wharf coast) and S4 (the Horse Island coast). Macroalgal growth were not limited by DIN but limited by P at S2, S3 and S4. Macroalgal species suitable or not for DIN source tracing along the Yantai coast were discussed. For sites with low DIN concentration, many species of three phyla could be used for DIN sources tracing with Laurencia okamurai, Gloiopeltis furcata and Ulva pertusa being ideal species. For site with high DIN concentration, however, species of Rhodophyta were not suitable and only Scytosiphon lomentaria and Monostroma nitidium were chosen.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection of effective macroalgal species and tracing nitrogen sources on the different part of Yantai coast, China indicated by macroalgal δ15N values

Wang

Chen

Richard

et al. 2016

Science of The Total Environment

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“…Identifying sources of NO3 -in groundwater is fundamental to developing effective management plans intended to reduce nitrogen (N) inputs to the environment. Measurements of 15 N/ 14 N ratios are widely used to infer sources of NO3 -in groundwater, such as fertilizer, soil, and manure (3)(4)(5)(6).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Distinguishing between fertilizer and natural (soil or geologic) sources of NO3 -, or between natural and manure sources, is more complicated because of the potentially wide range in δ 15 N values of NO3 -derived from natural N. Values of δ 15 N for soil and groundwater NO3 -derived from natural sources range from at least -5 to +15‰ or higher (4,(7)(8)(9)(10) and extend well into the range of values considered to be characteristic of fertilizer and manure N. In general, concentrations of natural NO3 -in groundwater are less than about 140 µM (11), which is much smaller than the United States drinking-water standard of 714 µM (10 mg/L as N), but concentrations as large as 1500 to 7000 µM have been noted in some arid and semiarid regions (7,12). A further complicating factor is the presence of large natural NO3 -deposits in the soil and subsoil of some arid and semiarid areas (13)(14)(15).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional Patterns in the Isotopic Composition of Natural and Anthropogenic Nitrate in Groundwater, High Plains, U.S.A.

McMahon

Böhlke

2006

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Mobilization of natural nitrate (NO 3 -) deposits in the subsoil by irrigation water in arid and semiarid regions has the potential to produce large groundwater NO 3 -concentrations. The use of isotopes to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic NO 3 -sources in these settings could be complicated by the wide range in δ 15 N values of natural NO 3 -. An ∼10 000 year record of paleorecharge from the regionally extensive High Plains aquifer indicates that δ 15 N values for NO 3 -derived from natural sources ranged from 1.3 to 12.3‰ and increased systematically from the northern to the southern High Plains. This collective range in δ 15 N values spans the range that might be interpreted as evidence for fertilizer and animal-waste sources of NO 3 -; however, the δ 15 N values for NO 3 -in modern recharge (<50 years) under irrigated fields were, for the most part, distinctly different from those of paleorecharge when viewed in the overall regional context. An inverse relation was observed between the δ 15 N[NO 3 -] values and the NO 3 -/Cl -ratios in paleorecharge that is qualitatively consistent with fractionating losses of N increasing from north to south in the High Plains. N and O isotope data for NO 3 -are consistent with both NH 3 volatilization and denitrification, having contributed to fractionating losses of N prior to recharge. The relative importance of different isotope fractionating processes may be influenced by regional climate patterns as well as by local variation in soils, vegetation, topography, and moisture conditions.

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“…[1][2][3][4] Anthropogenic and naturally produced NO 3 -have distinct isotopic signatures of both δ 15 N and δ 18 O. [5] Mixing models based on these values and background NO 3 -concentrations can help identify the sources and transformation of nitrogen within a local system. [4,6,7] Recent studies have analyzed potassium chloride (KCl) solutions containing NO 3 -extracted from soil samples using the denitrifying bacteria Pseudomonas chlororaphis ssp.…”

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confidence: 99%

Correcting for background nitrate contamination in KCl-extracted samples during isotopic analysis of oxygen and nitrogen by the denitrifier method

Bell

Sickman

2014

Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom.

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RATIONALE:Previous research has shown that the denitrifying bacteria Pseudomonas chlororaphis ssp. aureofaciens (P. aureofaciens) can be used to measure the δ 15 N and δ 18 O values of extracted soil nitrate (NO 3 -) by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. We discovered that N 2 O production from reference blanks made in 1 M KCl increased relative to blanks made of deionized water (DIW). Further investigation showed that isotopic standards made in KCl yielded δ 15 N and δ 18 O values different from the standards prepared in DIW. METHODS: Three grades of crystalline KCl were dissolved in DIW to create solutions of increasing molarity (0.1 M to 2 M), which were added to P. aureofaciens broth and measured as blanks. Reference standards USGS-32, USGS-34, and USGS-35 were then dissolved in a range of KCl concentrations to measure isotopic responses to changing KCl molarity. Reference blanks and standards created in DIW were analyzed as controls to measure the impact of KCl on the δ 15 N and δ 18 O values. RESULTS: The amount of N 2 O in the KCl blanks increased linearly with increasing molarity, but at different rates for each KCl grade. The isotopic values of the reference standards measured in KCl were systematically different from those measured in DIW, suggesting contamination by background NO 3 -in the KCl reagents. However, we also noted reduced conversion of NO 3 -into N 2 O as the KCl molarity increased, suggesting there is a physiological response of P. aureofaciens to KCl. CONCLUSIONS: There is a small amount of NO 3 -present in crystalline KCl, which can bias isotopic measurement of NO 3 -at low sample concentrations. This can be minimized by making standards and blanks in the same KCl as is used in samples, diluting all samples and standards to the appropriate NO 3 -concentration using matched KCl solutions, and adding samples and standards to the broth at a constant volume to standardize the KCl molarity in the reaction vial. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Mass spectrometry of the stable isotopes of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) of nitrate (NO 3 -) through bacterial denitrification has advanced our understanding of reactive nitrogen in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. [1][2][3][4] Anthropogenic and naturally produced NO 3 -have distinct isotopic signatures of both δ 15 N and δ 18 O. [5] Mixing models based on these values and background NO 3 -concentrations can help identify the sources and transformation of nitrogen within a local system. [4,6,7] Recent studies have analyzed potassium chloride (KCl) solutions containing NO 3 -extracted from soil samples using the denitrifying bacteria Pseudomonas chlororaphis ssp. aureofaciens (P. aureofaciens) without identifying any isotopic artifacts, [7][8][9] although earlier work by Stark and Hart [10] measured NO 3 -contamination by 2 M KCl while performing diffusion digests. While conducting similar analyses on KCl-extracted soils in southern California, we noted an increase in N 2 O production in blanks prepared in KCl and worrying shifts in th...

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Isotopic studies of nitrogen pollution in the hydrosphere and atmosphere: A review

Cited by 951 publications

References 50 publications

Selection of effective macroalgal species and tracing nitrogen sources on the different part of Yantai coast, China indicated by macroalgal δ15N values

Selection of effective macroalgal species and tracing nitrogen sources on the different part of Yantai coast, China indicated by macroalgal δ15N values

Regional Patterns in the Isotopic Composition of Natural and Anthropogenic Nitrate in Groundwater, High Plains, U.S.A.

Correcting for background nitrate contamination in KCl-extracted samples during isotopic analysis of oxygen and nitrogen by the denitrifier method

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