Assessment of sources and fate of nitrate in shallow groundwater of an agricultural area by using a multi-tracer approach.pdf.pdf

Science of the Total Environment 470–471 (2014) 855–864
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Science of the Total Environment
journal homepage: ate/scitotenv
Assessment of sources and fate of nitrate in shallow groundwater of an
agricultural area by using a multi-tracer approach
Ernesto Pastén-Zapata a, Rogelio Ledesma-Ruiz a,ThomasHarterb,íreza, Jürgen Mahlknecht a,⁎
a Centro del Agua para América Latina y el Caribe, ológico de Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada Sur No. 2501, . 64849 Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
b Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, . 95616 Davis, CA, USA
HIGHLIGHTS
• A new multiple tracer approach for improved evaluation of nitrate sources and transformation processes was developed.
• Nitrate δ15Nandδ18O positions pleted with halide ratios.
• Water isotopes were used to assess groundwater origin and recharge.
• Groundwater chemical processes were evaluated using statistical approaches.
• It is suggested that this approach is a powerful tool with potentially wide applications.
article info abstract
Article history: Nitrate isotopic values are often used as a tool to understand sources of contamination in order to effectively
Received 30 August 2013 manage groundwater quality. However, recent literature describes that biogeochemical reactions may modify
Received in revised form 12 Octob