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author Jacob, Juliane
Sanders, Tina
Dähnke, Kirstin
author_facet Jacob, Juliane
Sanders, Tina
Dähnke, Kirstin
collection Datos científicos de ciencias marinas y ambientales
contents In oceans, estuaries, and rivers, nitrification is an important nitrate source, and stable isotopes of nitrate are often used to investigate recycling processes (e.g. remineralisation, nitrification) in the water column. Nitrification is a two-step process, where ammonia is oxidised via nitrite to nitrate. Nitrite usually does not accumulate in natural environments, which makes it difficult to study the single isotope effect of ammonia oxidation or nitrite oxidation in natural systems. However, during an exceptional flood in the Elbe River in June 2013, we found a unique co-occurrence of ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate in the water column, returning towards normal summer conditions within 1 week. Over the course of the flood, we analysed the evolution of d15N-[NH4]+ and d15N-[NO2]- in the Elbe River. In concert with changes in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and d15N SPM, as well as nitrate concentration, d15N-NO3 - and d18O-[NO3] -, we calculated apparent isotope effects during net nitrite and nitrate consumption. During the flood event, > 97 % of total reactive nitrogen was nitrate, which was leached from the catchment area and appeared to be subject to assimilation. Ammonium and nitrite concentrations increased to 3.4 and 4.4 µmol/l, respectively, likely due to remineralisation, nitrification, and denitrification in the water column. d15N-[NH4]+ values increased up to 12 per mil, and d15N-[NO2]- ranged from -8.0 to -14.2 per mil. Based on this, we calculated an apparent isotope effect 15-epsilon of -10.0 ± 0.1 per mil during net nitrite consumption, as well as an isotope effect 15-epsilon of -4.0 ± 0.1 per mil and 18-epsilon of -5.3 ± 0.1 per mil during net nitrate consumption. On the basis of the observed nitrite isotope changes, we evaluated different nitrite uptake processes in a simple box model. We found that a regime of combined riparian denitrification and 22 to 36 % nitrification fits best with measured data for the nitrite concentration decrease and isotope increase.
format Dataset Open Access
id pangaea_https___doi_org_10_1594_PANGAEA_865348
institution PANGAEA
language en
publishDate 2016
publisher PANGAEA
record_format pangaea
spellingShingle Nitrite consumption and associated isotope changes during a river flood event in the Elbe river
Jacob, Juliane
Sanders, Tina
Dähnke, Kirstin
Ammonium; Carbon, total, particulate; Carbon/Nitrogen ratio; Colorimetric; DATE/TIME; DEPTH, water; Element analyser, Thermo Finnigan flash EA 1112; FerryBox system; Fluorescence determination; Geesthacht weir, Germany; Gravimetric analysis (GF/F filtered); GW2011-2016_Stat_1; Mass spectrometer, Finnigan, MAT 252; Mass spectrometer ThermoFisher Delta V; Nitrate; Nitrite; Nitrogen, inorganic, dissolved; Nitrogen, total, particulate; Oxygen; pH; Phosphate; Salinity; Sample ID; Seal QuAAtro SFA Analyzer, Seal Analytical, 800 TM; Silicate; Suspended particulate matter; Temperature, water; Water sample; WS; δ15N, ammonium; δ15N, nitrate; δ15N, nitrite; δ15N, total particulate nitrogen; δ18O, nitrate
In oceans, estuaries, and rivers, nitrification is an important nitrate source, and stable isotopes of nitrate are often used to investigate recycling processes (e.g. remineralisation, nitrification) in the water column. Nitrification is a two-step process, where ammonia is oxidised via nitrite to nitrate. Nitrite usually does not accumulate in natural environments, which makes it difficult to study the single isotope effect of ammonia oxidation or nitrite oxidation in natural systems. However, during an exceptional flood in the Elbe River in June 2013, we found a unique co-occurrence of ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate in the water column, returning towards normal summer conditions within 1 week. Over the course of the flood, we analysed the evolution of d15N-[NH4]+ and d15N-[NO2]- in the Elbe River. In concert with changes in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and d15N SPM, as well as nitrate concentration, d15N-NO3 - and d18O-[NO3] -, we calculated apparent isotope effects during net nitrite and nitrate consumption. During the flood event, > 97 % of total reactive nitrogen was nitrate, which was leached from the catchment area and appeared to be subject to assimilation. Ammonium and nitrite concentrations increased to 3.4 and 4.4 µmol/l, respectively, likely due to remineralisation, nitrification, and denitrification in the water column. d15N-[NH4]+ values increased up to 12 per mil, and d15N-[NO2]- ranged from -8.0 to -14.2 per mil. Based on this, we calculated an apparent isotope effect 15-epsilon of -10.0 ± 0.1 per mil during net nitrite consumption, as well as an isotope effect 15-epsilon of -4.0 ± 0.1 per mil and 18-epsilon of -5.3 ± 0.1 per mil during net nitrate consumption. On the basis of the observed nitrite isotope changes, we evaluated different nitrite uptake processes in a simple box model. We found that a regime of combined riparian denitrification and 22 to 36 % nitrification fits best with measured data for the nitrite concentration decrease and isotope increase.
title Nitrite consumption and associated isotope changes during a river flood event in the Elbe river
topic Ammonium; Carbon, total, particulate; Carbon/Nitrogen ratio; Colorimetric; DATE/TIME; DEPTH, water; Element analyser, Thermo Finnigan flash EA 1112; FerryBox system; Fluorescence determination; Geesthacht weir, Germany; Gravimetric analysis (GF/F filtered); GW2011-2016_Stat_1; Mass spectrometer, Finnigan, MAT 252; Mass spectrometer ThermoFisher Delta V; Nitrate; Nitrite; Nitrogen, inorganic, dissolved; Nitrogen, total, particulate; Oxygen; pH; Phosphate; Salinity; Sample ID; Seal QuAAtro SFA Analyzer, Seal Analytical, 800 TM; Silicate; Suspended particulate matter; Temperature, water; Water sample; WS; δ15N, ammonium; δ15N, nitrate; δ15N, nitrite; δ15N, total particulate nitrogen; δ18O, nitrate
url https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.865348