engleski

Chicken waste or synthetic fertilizes? Using stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopes to trace groundwater pollution

The impact of chicken farming and its associated manure and usage of synthetic fertilizes on the groundwater quality is a growing concern in the catchment area of Varaždin pumping sites. The stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopes analysis are used to determine the isotopic signature of groundwater impacted by either chicken waste or synthetic fertilizers. Where chicken farming abounds, lager amounts of chicken waste are spread onto the crops (corn and wheat) as fertilizer. Also, synthetic fertilizes are spread too, but in smaller amounts. The amount of nitrogen in the manure is more than plants can utilize, resulting in excess nutrients running into groundwater. In April and September 2005, groundwater samples were collected from five wells within the study area. Water samples were analyzed by ion chromatographer (concentrations of nitrogen as nitrate and other major anions and cations). Stable nitrogen isotope in nitrate (15N – NO3) and oxygen isotope in nitrate (18O - NO3) were analyzed by mass spectrometer. Through numerous intensive studies, it has been found that chicken waste are ‘’heavy’’ or enriched in 15N in nitrate as compared to synthetic fertilizes. The results show that the chicken waste is major pollutant within study area and denitrification processes occur in groundwater during dry and warm period.

groundwater ; pollution ; stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopes

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