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Nitrogen pollution characteristics and source analysis using the stable isotope tracing method in Ashi River, northeast China

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Abstract

This study examined nitrogen (N) pollution characteristics based on water quality monitoring of the Ashi River and analyzed N sources by stable isotope tracer (SIT) techniques during a hydrological year in 2011. Twenty-two evenly distributed sites were sampled in the mainstream and tributaries of Ashi River during the temperate, wet, and dry seasons. The results showed that the concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4 +-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3 −-N), and total nitrogen (TN) were lower in the upstream section of Ashi River, while the concentrations were higher in most other sections of Ashi River. Different forms of N had significant seasonal variations. The range of δ15N-NO3 − values indicated different N pollution sources. The upstream headwater area of Ashi River was mainly polluted by atmospheric N deposition and soil organic N. In the midstream and downstream areas of Ashi River, some sampling sites were affected by water released from cropland and rural domestic sewage, while other sites were polluted due to wastewater from livestock and poultry production. In addition, pollution in the downstream section of Ashi River was mainly caused by industrial wastewater. The city zone located in the basin had a greater impact on the variations of NH4 +-N concentrations, and less impact on NO3 −-N. N pollution characteristics of NH4 +-N, NO3 −-N, and TN, as well as NO3 −-N analysis to identify sources, reflected the profound impact of non-point source pollution during the temperate and wet seasons and point source pollution during the dry season in Ashi River.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31400449), the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment in China (2014ZX07201-009-01), and the Public Welfare Special Project of Environmental Protection, China (201309035-7-1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing, 100012, People’s Republic of China

    Guangwen Ma, Yeyao Wang, Lihuan He & Taiming Wang

  2. Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, People’s Republic of China

    Xiang Bao & Fansheng Meng

  3. College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People’s Republic of China

    Yu Hu

  4. Heilongjiang Research Institute of Environmental Protection Science, Harbin, 150056, People’s Republic of China

    Yuping Liu

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  1. Guangwen Ma
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  2. Yeyao Wang
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  3. Xiang Bao
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  4. Yu Hu
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  5. Yuping Liu
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  6. Lihuan He
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  7. Taiming Wang
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  8. Fansheng Meng
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Correspondence to Yeyao Wang.

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Ma, G., Wang, Y., Bao, X. et al. Nitrogen pollution characteristics and source analysis using the stable isotope tracing method in Ashi River, northeast China. Environ Earth Sci 73, 4831–4839 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3786-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3786-4

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