Assessment of denitrification rates in fissured-karstic aquifer near Opole (south-west Poland): combined use of gaseous and isotope tracers

• Autorzy: Żurek A. , Różański K. , Mochalski P. , Kuc T.
• Konferencja: Groundwater quality sustainability : XXXVIII IAH Congress in Kraków
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Denitrification is the only process leading to reduction of nitrate concentration in groundwater. In this paper the authors report the results of combined measurements of excess gaseous nitrogen and 18O and 15N isotope composition of dissolved nitrate in fissured-karstic Triassic aquifer located in southwestern Poland, in the vicinity of Opole. Generally, the wells located in the confined part of the aquifer reveal greatly reduced nitrate content (ca. 0.3 and 2.7 mg NO3/dm3). Such decrease of nitrate content together with δ18O and δ15N data for those wells suggest well-advanced denitrification process. Enrichment in 15N and 18O of the remaining nitrate corresponds to initial nitrate content in the order of 1.5 to 12 mg NO3/dm3. Lack of tritium in those wells suggest the pre-bomb age of water and natural range of initial nitrate content. In majority of the measured wells nitrogen excess has been below the detection limit of ca. 3.5 mg NO3/dm3. This method is not sensitive enough to detect denitrification of natural nitrate which concentrations in groundwater in the study area were generally below 10 mg NO3/dm3. The presented study demonstrated that combining isotope analyses of nitrates with tritium or other transient tracers may provide additional insights into the dynamics of water and nitrate transformation in groundwater systems.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

excess nitrogen; isotope composition of nitrate; denitrification; fissured-karstic aquifer

• Wydawca: Państwowy Instytut Geologiczny - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
• Czasopismo: Biuletyn Państwowego Instytutu Geologicznego
• Rocznik: 2010
• Tom: nr 441 Hydrogeologia z. 10
• Strony: 209--216
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 35 poz., rys., tab.

Twórcy

autor

Żurek A.

• AGH – University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environment Protection, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland

autor

Różański K.

• AGH – University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland

autor

Mochalski P.

• Institute of Nuclear Physics PAN, Department of Physicochemistry of Ecosystems, Radzikowskiego 152, 31-342 Kraków, Poland

autor

Kuc T.

• AGH – University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland

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