Combining dual isotopes and a Bayesian isotope mixing model to quantify the nitrate sources of precipitation in Ningbo, East China

Nitrogen isotope characteristics and importance of NOx from biomass burning in China

Biomass burning is a primary source of atmospheric nitrogen oxide (NOx), however, the lack of isotopic fingerprints from biomass burning limits their use in tracing atmospheric nitrate (NO3-) and NOx. A total of 25 biomass fuels from 10 provinces and regions in China were collected, and the δ15N values of biomass fuels (δ15N-biomass) and δ15N-NOx values of biomass burning (δ15N-NOx values of BB, open burning, and rural cooking stove burning) were determined. The δ15N-NOx values of open burning and rural cooking stove burning ranged from -0.8 ‰ to 11.6 ‰ and 0.8 ‰ to 9.5 ‰, respectively, indicating a significant linear relation with δ15N-biomass. Based on the measured δ15N-NOx values of BB and biomass burning emission inventory data, the δ15N-NOx values of BB in different provinces and regions of China were calculated using the δ15N-NOx model, with a mean value of 5.0 ± 1.8 ‰. The spatial variations in the estimated δ15N-NOx values of BB in China were mainly controlled by the differences in the δ15N-NOx values and the proportions of NOx emissions from various straw burning activities in provinces and regions of China. Furthermore, by using the combined local emissions of biomass burning with regional transportations of NOx based on air-mass backward trajectories, we established an improved δ15N-NOx model and obtained more accurate δ15N-NOx values of BB in regions (2.3 ‰ to 8.4 ‰). By utilising the reported δ15N-NOx values of precipitation and particulate matter from 21 cities in China and the more accurate δ15N-NOx values of BB, the NOx contributions from four sources (mobile sources, coal combustion, biomass burning, and microbial N cycle) at the national scale were estimated using a Bayesian model. The significant contributions of biomass burning (20.9 % to 44.3 %) to NOx emissions were revealed, which is vital for controlling NOx emissions in China.

Changes in source composition of wet nitrate deposition after air pollution control in a typical area of Southeast China

In recent years, China has adopted numerous policies and regulations to control NOx emissions to further alleviate the adverse impacts of NO3--N deposition. However, the variation in wet NO3--N deposition under such policies is not clear. In this study, the southeastern area, with highly developed industries and traditional agriculture, was selected to explore the variation in NO3--N deposition and its sources changes after such air pollution control through field observation and isotope tracing. Results showed that the annual mean concentrations of NO3--N in precipitation were 0.67 mg L-1 and 0.54 mg L-1 in 2014-2015 and 2021-2022, respectively. The average wet NO3--N depositions in 2014-2015 and 2021-2022 was 7.76 kg N ha-1 yr-1 and 5.03 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively, indicating a 35% decrease. The δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3- values were lower in warm seasons and higher in cold seasons, and both showed a lower trend in 2021-2022 compared with 2014-2015. The Bayesian model results showed that the NOx emitted from coal-powered plants contributed 53.6% to wet NO3--N deposition, followed by vehicle exhaust (22.9%), other sources (17.1%), and soil emissions (6.4%) during 2014-2015. However, the contribution of vehicle exhaust (33.3%) overpassed the coal combustion (32.3%) and followed by other sources (25.4%) and soil emissions (9.0%) in 2021-2022. Apart from the control of air pollution, meteorological factors such as temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation are closely related to the changes in atmospheric N transformation and deposition. The results suggest phased achievements in air pollution control and that more attention should be paid to the control of motor vehicle exhaust pollution in the future, at the same time maintaining current actions and supervision of coal-powered plants.

Impacts of land use on phosphorus and identification of phosphate sources in groundwater and surface water of karst watersheds

The thin soil layer with uneven distribution in karst areas facilitates the migration of phosphorus (P) to groundwater, threatening the safety of water sources seriously. To offer a scientific guidance for water pollution control and land use planning in karst areas, this study examined the relationships between land use and P in groundwater and surface water, and quantified the phosphate sources in Gaoping river basin, a small typical watershed in karst areas. Spatial distribution analysis revealed that the highest mean P concentrations in groundwater and surface water were in farmland and construction-farmland zones, respectively. Land use impact analysis showed that the concentration of P in groundwater was influenced positively by farmland but negatively by forest land. In contrast, the concentration of P in surface water was influenced positively by both farmland and construction land. The mixed end-element and Bayesian-based Stable Isotope Analysis in R (SIAR) model results showed that agricultural fertilizers were the main phosphate source for groundwater in farmland and forest-farmland zones, while urban sewage was the main source in the construction-farmland zone. For surface water, the main phosphate source was agricultural fertilizers in both farmland and construction-farmland zones. This study indicates that controlling P pollution in local water bodies should pay close attention to the management of land use related to human activities, including regulating sewage discharge from construction land and agricultural fertilizer usage.

Significant influence of urban human activities and marine input on rainwater chemistry in a coastal large city, China

The coastal urban region is generally considered an atmospheric receptor for terrestrial and marine input materials, and rainfall chemistry can trace the wet scavenging process of these materials. Fast urbanization in China's east coastal areas has greatly altered the rainwater chemistry. However, the chemical variations, determinants, and sources of rainfall are unclear. Therefore, the typical coastal city of Fuzhou was selected for 1-year rainwater sampling and inorganic ions were detected to explore above problems. The findings depicted that rainwater ions in Fuzhou were slightly different from those in other coastal cities. Although NO3-, SO42-, Ca2+ and NH4+ dominated the rainwater ions, the marine input Cl- (22 %) and Na+ (11 %) also contributed a considerable percentage to the rainwater ions. Large differences in ion concentrations (2∼28 times) were found in monthly scale due to the rainfall amount. Both natural and anthropogenic determinants influenced the rainwater ions in coastal cities, such as SO2 emission, air SO2 and PM10 content on rainwater SO42-, NO3-, and Ca2+, and soot & dust emission on rainwater SO42-, NO3-, indicating the vital contribution of human activities. Stoichiometry and positive matrix factorization-based sources identification indicated that atmospheric dust/particles were the primary contributor of Ca2+ (83.3 %) and F- (83.7 %), and considerable contributor of SO42- (39.5 %), NO3- (38.3 %) and K+ (41.5 %). Anthropogenic origins, such as urban waste volatilization and fuel combustion emission, contributed 95 % of NH4+, 54.5 % of NO3- and 41.9 % of SO42-, and the traffic sources contribution was relatively higher than fixed emission sources. The marine input represented the vital source of Cl- (77.7 %), Na+ (84.9 %), and Mg2+ (55.3 %). This work highlights the significant influence of urban human activities and marine input on rainwater chemicals and provides new insight into the material cycle between the atmosphere and earth-surface in coastal city.

Unignorable enzyme-specific isotope fractionation for nitrate source identification in aquatic ecosystem

Nitrate contamination in aquatic systems is a widespread problem across the world. The isotopic composition (δ15N, δ18O) of nitrate and their isotope effect (15ε, 18ε) can facilitate the identification of the source and transformation of nitrate. Although previous researches claimed the isotope fractionations may change the original δ15N/δ18O values and further bias identification of nitrate sources, isotope effect was often ignored due to its complexity. To fill the gap between the understanding and application, it is crucial to develop a deep understanding of isotopic fractionation based on available evidence. In this regard, this study summarized the available methods to determine isotope effects, thereby systematically comparing the magnitude of isotope effects (15ε and 18ε) in nitrification, denitrification and anammox. We found that the enzymatic reaction plays the key role in isotope fractionations, which is significantly affected by the difference in the affinity, substrate channel properties and redox potential of active site. Due to the overlapping of microbial processes and accumulation of uncertainties, the significant isotope effects at small scales inevitably decrease in large-scale ecosystems. However, the proportionality of N and O isotope fractionation (δ18O/δ15N; 18ε/15ε) associated with nitrate reduction generally follows enzyme-specific proportionalities (i.e., Nar, 0.95; Nap, 0.57; eukNR, 0.98) in aquatic ecosystems, providing enzyme-specific constant factors for the identification of nitrate transformation. With these results, this study finally discussed feasible source portioning methods when considering the isotope effect and aimed to improve the accuracy in nitrate source identification.

Using a Multi-isotope Approach and Isotope Mixing Models to Trace and Quantify Phosphorus Sources in the Tuojiang River, Southwest China

Identifying phosphorus (P) sources is critical for solving eutrophication and controlling P in aquatic environments. Phosphate oxygen isotopes (δ¹⁸O_p) have been used to trace P sources. However, the application of this method has been greatly restricted due to δ¹⁸O_P values from the potential source having wide and overlapping ranges. In this research, P sources were traced by combining δ¹⁸O_p with multiple stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ¹⁵N), hydrogen (δD), and dissolved inorganic carbon (δ¹³C). Then, a Bayesian-based Stable Isotope Analysis in R (SIAR) model and IsoSource model were used to estimate the proportional contributions of the potential sources in the Tuojiang River. δ¹⁸O_p was not in equilibrium with ambient water, and statistically significant differences in the δ¹⁸O_p values were found between the potential sources, indicating that δ¹⁸O_p can be used to trace the P sources. δ¹⁵N, δD, and δ¹³C could assist δ¹⁸O_p in identifying the main sources of P. The SIAR and IsoSource models suggested that industrial and domestic sewage was the largest contributor, followed by phosphate rock and phosphogypsum and agricultural sewage. The uncertainty of the calculation results of the SIAR model was lower than that of the IsoSource model. These findings provide new insights into tracing P sources using multiple stable isotopes in watersheds.

Pollution source and chemicals structure of the water-soluble fractions in PM2.5 that induce apoptosis in China

Identify risk drivers is the key condition in air pollution control, and biological effect-directed analysis is the most commented method for combing chemical identify and human health. The water-soluble organic matter contained in PM_2.5 plays an important role in human health, while it is also the most difficult to identify its chemical information. Exploring the structural characteristics and pollution sources of its key toxic components is the optimized strategy to meet this question. In this study, the induction of apoptosis by the water-soluble fractions (WSF) of PM_2.5 samples collected in 10 major cities in China over a period of 1 year was observed in vitro in Beas-2b cells. Organic carbon structures were examined using nuclear magnetic resonance; air potential sources were identified using δ¹³C and ¹⁴C isotopic markers. Apoptosis induction by WSF in PM_2.5 was generally stronger in northern cities than in southern cities, and in winter than in summer. Organic compounds with aromatic and double-bond carbon structures from secondary products of motor vehicle exhausts, coal-derived emissions, and emissions derived from the burning of core residues may be primarily responsible for apoptosis induction by PM_2.5. Our results will contribute to understanding the toxic substances contained in WSF and provide basic data for accurate pollution control.

Nitrate dynamics and source identification of rainwater in Beijing during rainy season: Insight from dual isotopes and Bayesian model

Anthropogenic reactive nitrogen emissions have a significant impact on atmospheric chemical composition and earth surface ecosystem. As one of the most important sinks of atmospheric nitrogen, the wet deposition of nitrate (rainwater NO₃^-) has been widely concerned. Yet, the sources and transformation processes of wet deposited NO₃^- were not well revealed in megacity during rainy season in the context of global climate change. Here, we investigated the concentrations of nitrogen components and dual isotopes of rainwater nitrate collected in Beijing during July to August 2021 (rainy season). The main findings showed that the concentrations of NH₄⁺-N, NO₃^--N, and NO₂^--N ranged 0.5- 6.7 mg L^-1, 0.3- 4.5 mg L^-1, and 0.05- 0.18 mg L^-1, respectively, with the average relative percentages of 69 %, 29 %, and 2 %. The stoichiometry analysis of characteristic ion ratios indicated that the contribution of municipal wastes and agricultural sources to rainwater NH₄⁺-N is relatively significant, while traffics were the major contributor of NO₃^--N instead of the fixed emission. Rainwater δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^- presented slightly ¹⁵N-depleted characteristic compared to previous studies with the average values of -3.9 ± 3.1 ‰ and 58.7 ± 12.6 ‰. These isotope compositions suggesting an origin of rainwater NO₃^- from the mixing of multi-sources and was mainly generated via the pathway of OH radical oxidization. Further source apportionment of rainwater NO₃^- by Bayesian mixing model evaluated that traffic (30.3 %) and soil (30.3 %) emissions contributed mostly to NO₃^-, while the contribution of biomass burning (18.8 %) and coal combustion (20.6 %) were relatively lower. This study highlighted the important role of dual isotopes in rainwater nitrate source identification and formation processes in megacity.

Quantitative identification of nitrate and sulfate sources of a multiple land-use area impacted by mine drainage

The rapid increase in urbanization and intensive coal mining activities have accelerated the deterioration of surface water quality. Environmental problems caused by the accumulation of nitrate and sulfate from natural, urban, and agricultural sources have attracted extensive attention. Information on nitrate and sulfate sources and their transformations is crucial for understanding the nitrogen and sulfur cycles in surface water. In this study, we monitored nitrate and sulfate in three representative rivers in mining cities in northern China. The main pollution sources and biogeochemical processes were identified by using stable isotopes (δD, δ¹⁸O_H2O, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O_NO3, δ³⁴S and δ¹⁸O_SO4) and hydrochemistry. The contribution of natural and anthropogenic sources was quantitatively estimated based on a Bayesian mixed model. The results indicated a large variation in sulfate and nitrate sources between the different rivers. Nitrate in the Tuohe River mainly derived from manure/sewage (57.9%) and soil N (26.9%), while sulfate mainly derived from manure/sewage (41.7%) and evaporite dissolution (26.8%). For the Suihe River, nitrate was primarily sourced from chemical fertilizer (37.9%) and soil nitrogen (34.8%), while sulfate was mainly sourced from manure/sewage (33.1%) and chemical fertilizer (21.4%). For the Huihe River, nitrate mainly derived from mine drainage (56.6%) and manure/sewage (30.6%), while sulfate predominantly originated from mine drainage (58.3%) and evaporite dissolution (12.9%). Microbial nitrification was the major pathway for the migration and transformation of nitrate in the surface water. However, denitrification and bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) did not play a significant role as aerobic conditions prevailed. In this study, we elucidated the sources and transformation mechanisms of nitrate and sulfate. Additionally, we provided a reference for formulating a comprehensive strategy for effective management and remediation of surface water contaminated with nitrate and sulfate in mining cities.

Nitrate sources and its formation in precipitation during typhoons (In-fa and Chanthu) in multiple cities, East China

A clear understanding of the factors governing dual isotopes (δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^-) in typhoons is essential for understanding their NO₃^- sources and its formation mechanisms. In this study, sequential precipitation samples during typhoons, including In-fa and Chanthu, were collected from Ningbo, Hangzhou and Huzhou. The chemical compositions, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes of NO₃^- and oxygen isotopes of H₂O (δ¹⁸O-H₂O) were measured. The results showed that the δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^- values ranged from -6.3‰ to 6.0‰, and 38.0‰ to 66.5‰, respectively. The lower δ¹⁸O-NO₃^- values (less than 52‰) indicated the importance of peroxy radicals (RO₂ or HO₂) in NO_x oxidation to NO₃^- formation pathways. By the Monte Carlo simulation of δ¹⁸O-NO₃^- values of typhoons, the calculated oxidation proportions of NO by RO₂ (or HO₂) during the OH· pathway ranged from 0% to 27% of In-fa and from 0% to 32% of Chanthu, respectively, in the three cities. More NO_x emissions from marine microbial processes caused the lower δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- values of typhoons in Ningbo than those in Hangzhou and Huzhou. The variation in δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- values in sequential samples in In-fa reflected the decreased marine sources (lightning) and the increased anthropogenic sources in land (coal combustion and microbial N cycle) from Phrase I to Phrase II and III. Based on the improved Bayesian model with nitrogen isotopic fractionation, the contributions of lightning + biomass burning, coal combustion, mobile sources and the microbial N cycle were 35.7%, 22.5%, 27.1% and 14.7% in In-fa, and 28.3%, 32.3%, 28.0% and 11.4% in Chanthu, respectively, in the three cities, emphasizing the influence of marine NO_x sources (lightning). The results highlight the importance of RO₂ (or HO₂) in NO_x oxidation pathways in typhoons and provide valuable insight into the NO_x sources of typhoons.

Stable isotopic characterization of nitrate wet deposition in the tropical urban atmosphere of Costa Rica

Increasing energy consumption and food production worldwide results in anthropogenic emissions of reactive nitrogen into the atmosphere. To date, however, little information is available on tropical urban environments where inorganic nitrogen is vastly transported and deposited through precipitation on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. To fill this gap, we present compositions of water stable isotopes in precipitation and atmospheric nitrate (δ¹⁸O-H₂O, δ²H-H₂O, δ¹⁵N-NO₃^-, and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^-) collected daily between August 2018 and November 2019 in a tropical urban atmosphere of central Costa Rica. Rainfall generation processes (convective and stratiform rainfall fractions) were identified using stable isotopes in precipitation coupled with air mass back trajectory analysis. A Bayesian isotope mixing model using δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- compositions and corrected for potential ¹⁵N fractionation effects revealed the contribution of lightning (25.9 ± 7.1%), biomass burning (21.8 ± 6.6%), gasoline (19.1 ± 6.4%), diesel (18.4 ± 6.0%), and soil biogenic emissions (15.0 ± 2.6%) to nitrate wet deposition. δ¹⁸O-NO₃^- values reflect the oxidation of NO_x sources via the ·OH + RO₂ pathways. These findings provide necessary baseline information about the combination of water and nitrogen stable isotopes with atmospheric chemistry and hydrometeorological techniques to better understand wet deposition processes and to characterize the origin and magnitude of inorganic nitrogen loadings in tropical regions.