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| Titel |
Development of a method for in situ measurement of denitrification in aquifers using 15N tracer tests and membrane inlet mass spectrometry |
| VerfasserIn |
W. Eschenbach, R. Well, H. Flessa, W. Walther, W. H. M. Duijnisveld |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2009
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 11 (2009) |
| Datensatznummer |
250019478
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| Zusammenfassung |
| In NO3- contaminated aquifers containing reduced compounds like organic carbon or sulfides, denitrification is an intense process. Its characterization is of interest because NO3- consump-tion improves water quality and N2O production can cause emission of this greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. Spatial distribution of NO3- and N2 produced by denitrification in groundwa-ter (excess N2) reflects the NO3- input as well as cumulative denitrification during aquifer pas-sage. Reaction progress (RP) at a given location, i.e. the relative consumption by denitrifica-tion of the NO3- that had been leached to the aquifers, characterizes the stage of the denitrifi-cation process. RP can be derived from the ratio between accumulated gaseous denitrification products and initial NO3- concentrations. The amount and spatial distribution of reduced com-pounds within denitrifying aquifers is not well known. Recent findings from parallel investi-gations on in situ denitrification and reactive compounds suggests that single-well 15N tracer tests might be suitable to characterize the stock of reduced compounds in aquifers (Konrad 2007).
The overall objective of our studies is measure the spatial dynamics of denitrification within two sandy aquifers in northern Germany. This includes measurement of the actually occurring denitrification process. Moreover we want to determine the long-term denitrification potential which is governed by the stock of reactive material.
Here we present a new approach for in situ-measurement of denitrification at monitoring wells using a combination of 15N-tracer push-pull experiments with in situ analysis of 15N-labled N2 and N2O using membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS). We will present first results from a laboratory test with aquifer mesocosms using the MIMS method. In this test we supplemented aquifer material of two depths (2 and 7 m below surface) of a drinking water catchment in Northwest Germany with K15NO3 solution. After tracer application we took wa-ter samples at regular intervals with an automated sampling device over 5 days. A small part of the sample was directly conducted in the membrane inlet of our mass spectrometer and the other part was collected in serum bottles which were immediately sealed with rubber septa and stored for later measurement by isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS).
Results available up to now showed for both types of measurement a linear increase of deni-trification products (15(N2O+N2)) over time. At the end of our laboratory test we measured up to 270 and 2400 µg/L 15(N2O+N2) in the water samples from the supplemented aquifer mate-rial of 3 and 7 m depth respectively. Because of the online measurement with MIMS we were able to see during the experiment if and when the production of the labeled denitrification products started. Later-on this approach will be used in the field. Here, the MIMS-technique will be especially advantageous, because the success of tracer test can be immediately seen during in situ sampling.
Results of excess-N2 measurements at the monitoring wells within the two aquifers showed a range of 0 to 30 mg L-1 excess-N2 and a RP between 0 and 100%.
References:
Konrad, C. (2007): Methoden zur Bestimmung des Umsatzes von Stickstoff, dargestellt für drei Pleistozäne Grundwasserleiter Norddeutschlands, PhD thesis, Dresden Univ. of Techn., Germany, 157 pp. |
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