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Environmental problems - Chemical approaches
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Combination of nitrate (N, O) and boron isotopic ratios with microbiological indicators for the determination of nitrate sources in karstic groundwater

Cyrielle Briand A F , Valérie Plagnes A , Mathieu Sebilo B , Pascale Louvat C , Thierry Chesnot D , Maude Schneider D , Pierre Ribstein A and Pierre Marchet E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A UPMC University of Paris 06, UMR Sisyphe, 4 place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris Cedex 05, France.

B UPMC University of Paris 06, UMR Bioemco, 4 place Jussieu, F-75252 Paris Cedex 05, France.

C Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris-Diderot, UMR CNRS 7154, 1 rue Jussieu, F-75238 Paris Cedex, France.

D Eurofins Expertises Environnementales, Microbiologie, Santé-Environnement, rue Lucien Cuenot/site St Jacques II, F-54521 Maxeville, France.

E Agence de l’Eau Adour-Garonne, 90 rue du Férétra, F-31078 Toulouse Cedex 4, France.

F Corresponding author. Email: briandcyrielle@gmail.com

Environmental Chemistry 10(5) 365-369 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN13036
Submitted: 16 February 2013  Accepted: 3 August 2013   Published: 25 October 2013

Journal Compilation © CSIRO Publishing 2013 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND

Environmental context. Nitrate contamination of drinking water quality may be critical, particularly in rural areas where agricultural practices may release large amounts of nitrogen. Knowledge of the source of such contamination, mandatory for water supply management, can be successfully acquired by combining the natural stable isotopes of nitrate, boron isotopic ratios and microbiological indicators.

Abstract. A new approach based on measurements of nitrate and boron isotopic composition associated with microbiological indicators for the determination of nitrate origin in karstic groundwater (SW, France) is presented. Nitrate and boron isotopic data indicate an animal source of nitrate (δ15N–NO3 > 5 ‰, δ18O–NO3 < 10 ‰ and δ11B ~25 ‰). Microorganism detection (bacteriophages) confirmed contamination from animal sources and proved fast water transfer (2–3 days) from surface to groundwater.


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