Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2024, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (1): 384-399.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2024.1.24

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Distribution and source of nitrate in high-chromium groundwater in Jingbian, northern Shaanxi

GUO Huaming1,2(), YIN Jiahong2, YAN Song2, LIU Chao2   

  1. 1. MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
    2. School of Water Resources and Environment, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2023-12-12 Revised:2024-01-05 Online:2024-01-25 Published:2024-01-25

Abstract:

Natural high-chromium (Cr) groundwater usually contains high concentration of nitrate, but the source of nitrate and its relationship to Cr enrichment are unclear. In this study, water and sediment samples were collected at different depths from the high-Cr region of southwestern Jingbian, Loess Plateau, northern Shaanxi, and the dissolved Cr, soluble ionic species, δ18O, δD, δ18O-NO3, δ15N-NO3, and main and soluble sediment components were analyzed. Unconfined groundwater from Quaternary loess aquifers was mainly of HCO3-Na and HCO3-Ca-Mg types. Confined groundwater from sandstone aquifers of the Cretaceous Huanhe-Luohe Formations was of complex hydrochemical types, mainly HCO3-SO4-Cl-Na-Mg, HCO3-SO4-Na-Mg and SO4-Cl-Na-Mg types. The groundwater environments were weakly alkaline and oxic, with high concentrations of dissolved salts. The hydrochemical components of unconfined groundwater mainly derived from silicate weathering, while dissolution of evaporites mainly controlled the chemistry of confined groundwater. The average concentration of nitrate in confined groundwater was higher compared to unconfined groundwater and surface water. Spatial distribution of nitrate concentrations in groundwater showed a high-low-high trend from northeast to southwest in the study area. Nitrate contents in sediment and groundwater samples had similar variation trends with depth, indicating that nitrate in groundwater mainly originated from aquifer sediments. δ18O-NO3 and δ15N-NO3 values indicated that nitrification was the main process of nitrogen cycling and transformation in groundwater systems. Under alkaline, oxic groundwater environments, the presence of dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and nitrification was conducive to chromium oxidation in aquifer solids and release of Cr(VI) into groundwater.

Key words: groundwater, nitrate, hexavalent chromium, hydrogeochemistry, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes

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