Abstract
A survey of the quality of groundwater across a broad area of the North China Plain, undertaken in 1998 to 2000, indicates that nitrate pollution is a serious problem affecting the drinking water for a vast population. The use of nitrogen (N)-fertilizer in agriculture has greatly increased over the past 20 years to meet the food needs of the rapidly expanding population. During the study, 295 water samples were collected from wells and springs to determine the water chemistry and the extent of nitrate pollution. High concentrations of nitrate, especially in a recharge area along the western side, but also in the vicinity of Beijing and locally in other parts of the plain, pose a serious problem for the drinking water supply. In places, the nitrate concentration exceeds the maximum for safe drinking water of 45 mg/L. The intense use of N-fertilizer and the widespread use of untreated groundwater for crop irrigation contribute greatly to the problem, but no doubt the disposal of industrial and municipal waste into streams and infiltrating the aquifer also contribute to the problem; however, the lack of data prevents evaluation of those sources. In the recharge area, nitrate is found at depths of as much as 50 m. Near Beijing, relatively high concentrations of nitrate occur at depths of as much as 80 m. In the discharge area, in the vicinity of the Yellow River, high concentrations of nitrate occur at depths of <8 m.
Resumé
Une campagne d’évaluation de la qualité de l’eau souterraine entreprise entre 1998 et 2000 à travers une vaste étendue de la plaine du nord en Chine indique que la pollution par les nitrates est un problème sérieux qui affecte la qualité de l’eau souterraine pour une abondante population. L’utilisation de fertilisants azotés pour l’agriculture a augmenté considérablement durant les 20 dernières années afin de rencontrer les besoins alimentaires d’une population à forte croissance. Lors de cette étude, 295 échantillons d’eau ont été prélevés dans des puits et sources naturelles afin de déterminer la composition chimique de l’eau souterraine ainsi que l’étendue de la pollution par les nitrates. Des concentrations élevées de nitrates, en particulier dans une zone de recharge le long de la limite ouest de la plaine, mais aussi dans la région de Beijing et sporadiquement dans la plaine, posent de sérieux problèmes à la consommation de l’eau souterraine. A certains endroits, la concentration en nitrates excède la valeur maximale acceptée pour la consommation qui est de 45 mg NO3/L. L’utilisation intensive de fertilisants azotés ainsi que l’utilisation répandue d’eau souterraine non traitée pour l’irrigation contribuent pour beaucoup au problème, mais il ne fait pas de doute que le rejet des déchets municipaux et industriels dans les rivières et aquifères y est aussi pour quelque chose. Par contre, le manque de donnés ne permet pas d’évaluer la contribution de chacune de ces sources. Dans la zone de recharge, les nitrates se retrouvent à des profondeurs allant jusqu’à 50 m. Près de Beijing, des concentrations relativement élevées de nitrate ont été mesurées à des profondeurs allant jusqu’à 80 m. Enfin, dans la zone d’émergence affectée par la rivière Jaune, les fortes concentrations se retrouvent à une profondeur maximale de 8 m.
Resumen
Contaminacíon de nitratos a causa de prácticas agrícolas en diferentes zonas hidrogeológicas del sistema de flujo regional de aguas subterráneas en la planice del norte de China. Un estudio de la calidad del agua subterránea en una zona amplia de la planice del norte de China se llevó a cabo entre 1998 y el año 2000. Este estudio indica que la contaminación de nitratos es un problema grave que afecta el agua potable de una vasta población. El uso de fertilizantes a base de nitratos en la agricultura ha aumentado considerablemente durante los últimos 20 años para satisfacer las necesidades alimentices de la creciente población. Durante el estudio, se tomaron 295 muestras de pozos de agua y manantiales para determinar la química de las aguas y el grado de contaminación por nitratos. Altas concentraciones de nitratos, especialmente en una zona de recarga a lo largo del lado oeste, asì como en la cercanía a Pekín y en zonas locales en otras partes de la planicie, presentan un problema serio al sumunistro de agua potable. En ciertos lugares, la concentracióon de nitratos excede el nivel máximo de seguridad para el agua potable 45 mg NO3/L. El intenso uso de fertilizantes de nitratos y el abundante uso de agua subterránea sin tratamiento para la irrigación de cultivos contribuyen sustancialmente al problema. Sin embargo, sin lugar a dudas, la descarga de deshechos industriales y municipales en arroyos y en el acuífero también contribuyen al problema. La falta de datos impide la evalución de dichas fuentes. En la zona de recarga se encuentran nitratos hasta los 50 m de profundidad. Cerca a Pekín, concentraciones relativamente altas de nitrato ocurren hasta los 80 m de profunidad. En las zonas de descarga afectadas por el Río Amarillo las concentraciones altas de nitrato se encuentran solamente a menos de 8m de profundidad.
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Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge grant-in-aid for scientific research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan: (B)(2) 13480152 2001 and Human-Nature-Earth Symbiosis Project in “Prediction Mission in Water Cycle Change--Development of Water Resource Prediction Model--Surface Water Research Program in the Yellow River”(RR2002); fund from the Ministry of Sciences and Technology of China, G19990436–01 (National 973 project), and Chinese Academy of Sciences for Creative Research Program-Water Cycle & Water Security in North China. They are also grateful to the constructive advice and the help in the field survey from the Yucheng Comprehensive Experimental Station and the Luancheng Experimental Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Thanks are expressed to anonymous referees and to Dr. Wei Luo, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Northern Illinois University, for improvements to an earlier draft of this paper. Extensive comments and editorial revision by W.D. Johnson Jr., manuscript editor for the Hydrogeology Journal are sincerely appreciated.
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Chen, J., Tang, C., Sakura, Y. et al. Nitrate pollution from agriculture in different hydrogeological zones of the regional groundwater flow system in the North China Plain. Hydrogeol J 13, 481–492 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-004-0321-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-004-0321-9