Determination of the sources of nitrate and the microbiological sources of pollution in the Sava River Basin
2016
Authors:
Vrzel, JanjaVuković-Gačić, Branka
Kolarević, Stoimir
Gačić, Zoran
Kračun-Kolarević, Margareta
Kostić, Jovana
Aborgiba, Mustafa
Farnleitner, Andreas
Reischer, Georg
Linke, Rita
Paunović, Momir
Ogrinc, Nives
Document Type:
Article (Published version)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract:
Coupled measurements of nitrate (NO3-), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) isotopic composition (δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3) were used to investigate the sources and processes of N cycling, while the microbial source tracking (MST) method was used to identify microbiological pollution in the surface water of the Sava River Basin (SRB) in autumn in 2014 and 2015 during high and low water discharge. Atmospheric nitrate deposition or nitrate-containing fertilizers were found not to be significant sources of riverine nitrate in the SRB. The ranges of isotope values suggest that NO3- in the SRB derives from soil nitrification, sewage, and/or manure, which were further supported by MST analysis. Microbiological indicators show the existence of hotspots of fecal pollution in the SRB, which are human associated. Long-term observations indicate persistent fecal contamination at selected locations caused by continuous discharge of untreated wastewaters into the SRB.
Keywords:
Fecal indicators; Microbial source tracking; Nutrients; Sava River Basin; Stable isotopesSource:
Science of The Total Environment, 2016, 573, 1460-1471Funding / projects:
- Managing the effects of multiple stressors on aquatic ecosystems under water scarcity (EU-FP7-603629)
- Fishes as water quality indicators in open waters of Serbia (RS-MESTD-Basic Research (BR or ON)-173045)
- Evolution in Heterogeneous Environments: Adaptation Mechanisms, Biomonitoring and Conservation of Biodiversity (RS-MESTD-Basic Research (BR or ON)-173025)
- European Social Fund no. C2130-12-000070
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.213
ISSN: 0048-9697
PubMed: 27522292
WoS: 000390071000141
Scopus: 2-s2.0-84994378206
URI
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048969716316667https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84994378206&origin=SingleRecordEmailAlert&txGid=6CE299281CDB840158BFAC52EC5A2E1C.wsnAw8kcdt7IPYLO0V48gA:71#
https://radar.ibiss.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2908