Denitrification processes in the Arabian Sea

Recent information on some consequences of the acute mid-water oxygen deficiency in the Arabian Sea, especially on carbon-nitrogen cycling, is reviewed. An evaluation of published estimates of water column denitrification rate suggests an overall rate in the vicinity of 30Tg Ny^-1, but the extent of benthic contribution remains unknown. A decoupling of denitrification from primary production, unique to the Arabian Sea, is revealed by nitrite, electron transport system (ETS) activity and bacterial production data. Results of both enzymatic and microbiological investigations strongly point to a major role of organic carbon other than that sinking from surface layers in supporting denitrification. Although denitrification is associated with an intermediate nepheloid layer, it seems unlikely that the excess carbon comes with particles re-suspended along the continental margins and transported quasi-horizontally into the ocean interior; instead, the particle maximum may directly reflect a higher bacterial abundance. It is proposed that denitrification may be predominantly fuelled by the dissolved organic matter.     

Nitrate in groundwater and N circulation in eastern Botswana

Nitrate pollution due to deep leaching from pit latrines has caused water supply wells in eastern Botswana to exceed health limits concerning nitrate. It was deduced from the estimated intake of salt and protein by the population that, as an average, about 10 percent of the human nitrogen excretion is leached to the groundwater. This fraction was also found in southern India, where on-the-ground excretion is customary. The nitrogen circulation in general in the savanna ecosystem is not appreciably affected in spite of a large livestock density. Overall nitrate leaching is in the order of 1.5 kg N/ha/y, similar to that in another semiarid area in southern India. However, in India, there seems to be a more diffuse areal leaching from agriculture as well as from villages.Measures to minimize the nitrate leaching could be to plant deep-rooted trees adjacent to pit latrines or to use latrines that separate the urine from the faces for a more near-surface infiltration facilitating plant uptake. Measures to minimize leaching will also lessen the rick for bacterial pollution of the groundwater.     

Characterization of industrial wastewaters using gel-permeation chromatography with multicomponent detection

The gel-permeation chromatography system with multicomponent detection of organic carbon, organic nitrogen, organic halogen, and UV/vis absorption measurement is shown to be a useful tool for characterization of industrial wastewaters and wastewater treatment processes. The proposed system was used to investigate biologically treated wastewater from chemical industry, whereby one branch stream was identified to be the main source of persistent halogenated organics. Various treatment processes of pulp mill wastewater were also evaluated revealing that precipitation with aluminium is very effective for the removal of the high molecular fraction whereas the biological treatment is generally less selective. In the biological treatment of tannery wastewaters, it has been shown that the aerobic treatment, in contrast to anaerobic step, causes evident alterations of the composition of the polar DOC fraction. The nitrogen containing compounds are also better decomposed in the aerobic step compared to the anaerobic one.     

石家庄市地下水中氮污染分析

通过对石家庄市地下水中“三氮”污染状况的分析，发现硝酸盐是地下水中的主要氮污染物，利用氮同位素方法分析了地下水中硝酸盐氮的来源，讨论了人类开采地下水和施放环境物质对地下水中氮聚集的影响，在人类活动影响强度小的地区，地下水中的硝酸盐污染强度大大低于市区。NO3-浓度与硬度变化趋势表明：氮污染与硬度等指标值升高有一定的联系，但在不同的水文地球化学环境中，在迁移和转化等方面又有着自己的特性。     

The effects of surface area, grain size and mineralogy on organic matter sedimentation and preservation across the modern Squamish Delta, British Columbia: the potential role of sediment surface area in the formation of petroleum source rocks

Surface sediment samples were collected from the Squamish River Delta, British Columbia, in order to determine the role of sediment surface area in the preservation of organic matter (OM) in a paralic sedimentary environment. The Squamish Delta is an actively prograding delta, located at the head of Howe Sound.Bulk total organic carbon (TOC) values across the Squamish Delta are low, ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 wt.%. The carbon/total nitrogen ratio (C_org/N) ranges from 6 to 17, which is attributed to changes in OM type and facies variations. The <25-μm fraction has TOC concentrations up to 2.0 wt.%, and a C_org/N ratio that ranges from 14 to 16. The 53–106-μm fraction has higher TOC concentrations and C_org/N ratios relative to the 25–53-μm fraction. The C_org/N ratio ranges from 9 to 18 in the 53–106-μm fraction and 5.5–10.5 in the 25–53-μm fraction. Surface area values for bulk sediments are low (0.5–3.0 m²/g) due to the large proportion of silt size material. Good correlation between surface area and TOC in bulk samples suggests that OM is adsorbed to mineral surfaces. Similar relationships between surface area and TOC were observed in size-fractionated samples. Mineralogy and elemental composition did not correlate with TOC concentration.The relationships between surface area, TOC and total nitrogen (TN) can be linked to the hydrodynamic and sedimentological conditions of the Squamish Delta. As a result, the Squamish Delta is a useful modern analogue for the formation of petroleum source rocks in ancient deltaic environments, where TOC concentrations are often significantly lower than those in source rocks formed in other geological settings.     

Surface NO and NO2 mixing ratios measured between 30° N and 30° S in the Atlantic region

Surface NO and NO₂ mixing ratios were measured aboard the research vessel Polarstern during the mission ANT VII/1 from 24 September to 5 October 1988. The measurements were taken along the meridian at 30° W in the Atlantic region covering latitudes between 30° N and 30° S. The average mixing ratios were about 12 pptv NO/30 pptv NO₂ in the Northern Hemisphere and about 7 pptv NO/22 pptv NO₂ in the Southern. Elevated mixing ratios of 20 pptv NO/70 pptv NO₂ were found at 12° N (probably due to air masses originating from the surface of West Africa) and in the region of the ITCZ between 8° N and 5° N. Because of probable contamination by the ship, the measured mixing ratios mostly represent upper limits.     

Nitrogen emissions into freshwater ecosystems: is there a need for nitrate elimination in all wastewater treatment plants?

Excessive inputs of phosphorus and nitrogen are the main reasons of eutrophication of inland waters and coastal areas. Large efforts have been made to control phosphorus, but the measures to reduce nitrogen emissions failed at least partly. While it was possible to reduce nitrogen emissions from industry and municipal wastewater treatment plants, diffuse sources are showing only very minor decline. Examples of limnetic, marine and coastal systems are given to review the current knowledge about nitrogen transformation and the effects of nitrate in the environment. When N is the limiting nutrient in a particular water body, this does not necessarily mean that phytoplankton is controllable by NO₃^– removal. In systems with problems due to a high redox‐sensitive internal phosphorus load and under certain constraints, nitrate may be used as an ecotechnological measure to prevent anaerobic phosphorus release from sediments. Model simulations are used to demonstrate this. A schematic model of redox‐mediated temporal phosphorus storage in riverine lake sediments with short retention time is proposed. We conclude that while anthropogenic nitrogen emissions are a global problem, no fast and simple single solution exists. Additional nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment will have no effect, as long as diffuse sources and nitrate concentrations in groundwater remain at a high level. Emission reductions should be achieved in an integrated way, taking direct and indirect effects into account. In this sense, case by case decisions and a new definition of “sensitive areas” are required.     

运用氮、氧同位素技术判别常州地区地下水氮污染源

本文运用氮、氧同位素技术对常州地区地下水氮的污染来源进行了研究.结果表明：潜水和微承压水中NO3-含量高,平均含量为38.32 mg/L,δ^15N为4.818‰～32.834‰,δ^18O为12.502‰～20.757‰,反映了多数潜水和微承压水受到了厩肥和污水的污染;中深层承压水（第1承压水、第2承压水、第3承压水）中NO3^-含量低,NO3^-平均含量为0.52 mg/L,未受到氮污染,δ^15N为2.163‰～6.208‰,δ^18O为17.051‰～23.201‰,NO3^-应主要来源于早期形成时的大气降水.     

Nutrient dynamics in Mediterranean temporary streams: A case study in Pardiela catchment (Degebe River, Portugal)

Most of the streams in the Mediterranean region are temporary, following predictable seasonal of flooding and drying, with a transition from lotic conditions to shallow lentic conditions. The goal of our study was to assess the nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in channel-bed processes of temporary streams between floods. Results show that, during winter, temperatures ranged between 9.5 and 11.2 °C and oxygen concentration ranged from 8.0 to 9.5 mg L⁻¹, whereas, during summer, temperatures varied between 21.2 and 26.8 °C and oxygen between 1.2 and 5.3 mg L⁻¹, with oxygen depletion in the pools during the night. The nitrate concentrations were far more abundant during winter (February), while ammonium concentration increased after stream fragmentation into pools (especially in July when oxygen depletion conditions favoured ammonification). Results on sediment profiles showed that the most active sediment layers for NH₄-N are the top 2–3 cm, corresponding to the sediment depositional sites of the stream. Phosphate concentrations had larger variability, yet concentrations decreased from winter to spring and increased again in summer, when the shallow water pools were formed. Sediment profiles at the sediment depositional sites showed that PO₄-P was more dynamic in the first 6 cm.

In Mediterranean temporary streams, nutrient dynamics vary seasonally, as the system transits from lotic conditions to shallow lentic conditions, evidencing the regeneration of nutrients from organic and inorganic matter during the flow cessation period.     

上海旱地农田氮磷随地表径流流失研究

选择上海宝山罗店镇具有代表性的旱地蔬菜农田生态系统，从2004年3月到8月的近半年时间里，通过对径流及径流中侵蚀泥沙的氮磷流失情况的连续监测，研究了旱地农田施肥与氮磷流失污染之间的关系，探讨了农田氮磷的迁移特征及环境效应，主要结果表明：当季施用化肥的地表径流总流失量，总氮为32．77kg/hm^2，总磷为8．1kg／hm^2，随径流排出农田的氮素中有37．7％是当季施用的氮素化肥，磷素中有26．9％是当季施用的磷素化肥；从过量施肥与环境污染之间的“因”与“果”来看，减量15％施肥区相比常规施肥区的茄子的产量减少2．7％，但是其污染负荷却减少了13．4％，表明在化肥利用的有效性上或增施化肥与控制环境污染之间，应该寻找一个最佳的平衡点。