Understanding the origin and fate of nitrate in groundwater of semi-arid environments

Stadler, Susanne; Osenbrück, Karsten; Knöller, Kay; Suckow, Axel; Sültenfuß, Jürgen; Oster, H.; Himmelsbach, Thomas; Hötzl, H.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2008.06.003

Cited by 71 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater are found in many parts of the Kalahari (Tredoux and Talma, 2006;Tredoux et al, 2001), since the Kalahari region offers much potential for nitrogen input, both of anthropogenic and of natural origin (Stadler et al, 2008;Heaton, 1984;Heaton et al, 1983). Due to the absence of agriculture that might use fertiliser, no industry and only sparse population, the dominant anthropogenic nitrate input in the Kalahari may be expected to be from cattle faecal material and local occurrences of human wastes that contaminate aquifers (Zwikula, 2005;Jacks et al, 1999).…”

Section: The Kalahari Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The field methods are described in the original papers published on each project (Stadler et al 2010a;Stadler et al, 2008;Tredoux and Talma, 2006;Stadler, 2005;Tredoux et al, 2005;Wrabel, 2005). Water analyses were done for each project using the standard methods of each laboratory (identified in the acknowledgements and in the above-listed papers).…”

Section: Nature Of the Constituent Projectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Groundwater levels are 50 to 100 m below the surface, and nitrate concentrations of up to 219 mg/ℓ were found in the water. Groundwater was sampled from the Ntane Sandstone aquifer from production and observation boreholes that are generally screened over almost the entire aquifer thickness (for details see Stadler et al, 2008 andStadler et al, 2010b). The Ntane Sandstone aquifer is an aeolian sandstone with a porosity controlled by intergranular voids (primary porosity) and fractures and fissures (secondary porosity).…”

Section: Serowe Botswanamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Favreau et al, 2003;Girard and Hillaire-Marcel, 1997). In (semi-)arid regions, however, natural processes have additionally been identified as sources of elevated nitrate levels in groundwater, due to the dominance of various forms of biological nitrogen fixing over the complementary nitrate consumption by plants (Stadler et al, 2008;Lowe and Wallace, 2001;Edmunds and Gaye, 1997;Verhagen, 1995;Barnes et al, 1992;Marrett et al, 1990;Rosenthal et al, 1987;Heaton et al, 1983;Lawrence, 1983).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identification of sources and infiltration regimes of nitrate in the semi-arid Kalahari: Regional differences and implications for groundwater management

Stadler¹,

Talma²,

Tredoux³

et al. 2012

WSA

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The Kalahari region of southern Africa offers much potential for nitrogen input into its groundwater. High nitrate concentrations in Kalahari groundwater are therefore quite common and are caused by both anthropogenic and natural sources. Forecasting groundwater nitrate concentrations remains challenging. Source identification of nitrate contamination in groundwater is an important first step for groundwater management and quality prediction, and is aided by isotope analysis of nitrate in the water. Comparative data from 3 groundwater study sites in the Kalahari of Botswana and Namibia with widely different characteristics are presented. Two of the sites (Ghanzi and Gobabis) have shallow water tables in fractured quartzite. These aquifers were affected by pollution from cattle wastes (manure) and septic tank outflows resulting in groundwater nitrate levels exceeding 1 000 mg NO 3 /ℓ and in δ 15 N values of between +7 and +20 ‰ AIR. Short-term increases of groundwater nitrate concentrations were triggered by exceptional rainfall events occurring every 10-20 years. At the third site (Serowe in Botswana) there is similar land use and land cover, yet the aquifers are deeper, groundwater dates to Late-Pleistocene age and borehole levels do not show a response to present-day high-rainfall episodes. Nitrate levels up to 219 mg/ℓ are found, but lower 15 N content (δ 15 N of +3 to +8 ‰) indicates a natural origin of the nitrate. In this area pollution nitrate is sufficiently delayed in the vadose zone, reaching the saturated zone much later. The data from all 3 sites suggest that nitrogen management options can only be evaluated once an understanding of sources, processes and flow patterns has been established.

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Section: The Kalahari Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Nature Of the Constituent Projectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Serowe Botswanamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identification of sources and infiltration regimes of nitrate in the semi-arid Kalahari: Regional differences and implications for groundwater management

Stadler¹,

Talma²,

Tredoux³

et al. 2012

WSA

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“…), domestic wastewater (detergents, metabolic human products, etc. ), food processing, and atmospheric deposition (Figure 6) [1,42].…”

Section: Nitrogen Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Stress Induced by Enrichment of Nutrient and Climate Change Factors

Stefan¹,

Stefan²

2016

Water Stress in Plants

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Human activities accelerate the rate of water, air, and soil environment degradation. In this paper, we propose to present the effects of important stressors for water bodies, represented by continuous enrichment with nutrients and climate change. Nutrients' concentration increases especially nitrogen and phosphorus, associated with temperature increases and extreme weather events, involve important physical, chemical, and biological alterations of water quality. The effect of the stressors' factors can be seen on the main parameters which characterize water: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, transparency, chlorophyll a, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, and plankton population. The main changes which occur in the water reservoirs consist of modifications of taste and odor, increased acidification, decreased transparency, oxygen depletion, increased toxicity, increased sediments quantity, excessive growth of phytoplankton, and macrophytes vegetation. The water quality of lakes, streams, and estuaries can be assessed using the trophic status that can be described mainly using limiting nutrients' concentrations (N total, P total), primary productivity (chlorophyll a), and Secchi disc parameters, and also the Carlson's index that includes all of these.

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Factors contributing to nitrate contamination in a groundwater recharge area of the North China Plain

Wang

Tang

Song

et al. 2016

Hydrological Processes

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Abstract:Nitrate contamination is a common problem in groundwater of the North China Plain (NCP) owing to overuse of fertilizers and discharge of wastewater. Accordingly, it is important to investigate nitrate contamination in recharge areas to understand the fate of nitrate in the plains area. In this study, the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of nitrate and factors contributing to its sources and transformation in shallow groundwater of the Beiyishui River watershed, NCP, were analysed by a combination of multiple regression and multi-tracer methods. The nitrate concentration of 79% of the samples exceeded the natural environmental standard of 13.3 mg l À1 , while that of 23% of the samples exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standard of 50 mg l À1 . Groundwater age estimation of the hill regions based on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) revealed a mix of young water from 1982 to 1990 and old, low CFC water. The analysis based on the variations in land use in past years revealed that part of the grassland was converted into woodland between 1980 and 1995; therefore, the land use at the recharge time was used to determine which surface conditions influence groundwater nitrate concentrations. Multiple regression analysis showed that point source pollution contributed to the high concentration of nitrate in the hill region. Fertilizer application associated with land use change from grassland to woodland was also related to the present nitrate concentration. In the plains area, the contribution of fresh water from fault fractures and denitrification led to 31 to 72% and 6 to 51% reductions in nitrate concentrations, respectively. Our results suggested that controlling point source contamination and fertilizer input to hilly regions of the study will prevent groundwater of the plains area from deterioration in future years by mixing fresh water into the aquifers and decreasing denitrification, and therefore nitrate concentrations.

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Understanding the origin and fate of nitrate in groundwater of semi-arid environments

Cited by 71 publications

References 47 publications

Identification of sources and infiltration regimes of nitrate in the semi-arid Kalahari: Regional differences and implications for groundwater management

Identification of sources and infiltration regimes of nitrate in the semi-arid Kalahari: Regional differences and implications for groundwater management

Water Stress Induced by Enrichment of Nutrient and Climate Change Factors

Factors contributing to nitrate contamination in a groundwater recharge area of the North China Plain

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