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Determination of dominant sources of nitrate contamination in transboundary (Russian Federation/Ukraine) catchment with heterogeneous land use

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Abstract

Nitrate contamination of surface water and shallow groundwater was studied in transboundary (Russia/Ukraine) catchment with heterogeneous land use. Dominant sources of nitrate contamination were determined by applying a dual δ 15N–NO3 and δ 18O–NO3 isotope approach, multivariate statistics, and land use analysis. Nitrate concentration was highly variable from 0.25 to 22 mg L−1 in surface water and from 0.5 to 100 mg L−1 in groundwater. The applied method indicated that sewage to surface water and sewage and manure to groundwater were dominant sources of nitrate contamination. Nitrate/chloride molar ratio was added to support the dual isotope signature and indicated the contribution of fertilizers to the nitrate content in groundwater. Groundwater temperature was found to be an additional indicator of manure and sewerage leaks in the shallow aquifer which has limited protection and is vulnerable to groundwater pollution.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been carried out in the framework of the Research Project CRP F33020 “Environmental isotopes methods to assess water quality issues in rivers impacted by groundwater discharges” and CRP F33021 “Evaluation of human impacts on water balance and nutrients dynamics in the transboundary Russia/Ukraine river basin” funded partly by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv. Authors thank Ms. Janine Halder (IAEA) for her valuable comments and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Hydrobiology, Na Sádkách 7, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Y. Vystavna & J. Hejzlar

  2. Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv, vul. Marshala Bazhanova 17, Kharkiv, 61002, Ukraine

    Y. Vystavna, D. Diadin, V. Yakovlev & Y. Vergeles

  3. Department of the Management, O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv, vul. Marshala Bazhanova 17, Kharkiv, 61002, Ukraine

    V. Grynenko

  4. Water Quality Laboratory “PLAYA”, vul. Hanny 10, Kharkiv, 61001, Ukraine

    V. Yakovlev

  5. Laboratoire d’Hydrogéologie, Université de Corse Pascal Paoli, Campus Grimaldi, BP 52, F-20250, Corte, France

    F. Huneau

  6. CNRS, UMR 6134 SPE, BP 52, F-20250, Corte, France

    F. Huneau

  7. Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, 90014, Oulu, Finland

    P. M. Rossi

  8. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Department of Catchment Hydrology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120, Halle, Germany

    K. Knöller

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  1. Y. Vystavna
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  4. V. Yakovlev
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  8. J. Hejzlar
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  9. K. Knöller
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Vystavna, Y., Diadin, D., Grynenko, V. et al. Determination of dominant sources of nitrate contamination in transboundary (Russian Federation/Ukraine) catchment with heterogeneous land use. Environ Monit Assess 189, 509 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6227-5

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