River nitrate

If these processes do not occur, the nitrates reach the groundwater and the rivers. Nitrate contamination can be very dramatic under cultivated lands and drained wetlands. 

Multiple lines of evidence from sediment cores indicate an overall increase in phytoplankton productivity and continental shelf oxygen stress (in intensity or duration) in the northern Gulf of Mexico adjacent to the plume of the Mississippi River, especially in the last half of the twentieth century. The changes in these indicators are consistent with the increases in river nitrate-N loading during that same period. 

Between 1975 and 1985 nitrate concentrations in the Meuse and the Ijssel rose by 15-25%, and similar, or much higher, increases were recorded in other European rivers nitrate... 

Environmental Fate. Ammonia combines with sulfate ions in the atmosphere and is washed out by rairtfall, resulting in rapid return of ammonia to the soil and surface waters. Ammonia is a central compound in the environmental cycling of nitrogen. Ammonia in lakes, rivers, and streams is converted to nitrate. 

The most recent comprehensive assessment of the quality of rivers in the USA is that of Smith et al. 12), This followed an earlier assessment by Wolman et al. in 1971 (iS). The former 1987 assessment was based on 24 water quality measures from 161-383 stations around the country covering the period 1974-1981. Trends observed included major increases in nitrate, phosphorous, sodium, suspended sediment, fecal bacteria, dissolved oxygen deficit, arsenic and selenium. Major decreases were observed with nitrate, suspended sediment, fecal bacteria, dissolved oxygen deficit and lead. 

The organization for Economic Co-operation and Development publishes a compendium on environmental data including river monitoring, also on a biannual basis. The most recent edition includes 5 year incremental data from 1970 through 1985 for chromium, copper, lead, cadmium, ammonia, nitrate, phosphorous, dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand 28),... 

Fig. 10-13. The links between the cycling of C, N, and O2 are indicated. Total primary production is composed of two parts. The production driven by new nutrient input to the euphotic zone is called new production (Dugdale and Goering, 1967). New production is mainly in the form of the upward flux of nitrate from below but river and atmospheric input and nitrogen fixation (Karl et al, 1997) are other possible sources. Other forms of nitrogen such as nitrite, ammonia, and urea may also be important under certain situations. The "new" nitrate is used to produce plankton protoplasm and oxygen according to the RKR equation. Some of the plant material produced is respired in the euphotic zone due to the combined efforts...

Hamilton SK, Bunn SE, Thoms MC et al (2005) Persistence of aquatic refugia between flow pulses in a dryland river system (Cooper Creek, Australia). Lirrmol Oceanogr 50 743-754 Bernal S, Butturini A, Sabater E (2002) Variability of DOC and nitrate responses to storms in a small Mediterranean forested catchment. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 6 1031-1041 Romani AM, Vazquez E, Butturini A (2006) Microbial availability and size fractionation of dissolved organic carbon after drought in an intermittent stream biogeochemical link across the Stream-Riparian interface. Microb Ecol 52 501-512... 

Some assets are difficult to cost accurately for example, the notional financial value of providing a haven for wildlife, or of keeping your part of the river free from excess nitrates. Another example would be the value of keeping beef cattle indoors and then using the farmyard manure to improve soil structure and maintain wheat yield. 

Nutrient concentration has a marked seasonal variation in the middle Ebro. Nutrient loads transported by the river are relevant during the high flow season (December-April), while nitrate inputs from agriculture can also be relevant. In this period, crop fertilization is carried out, precipitation is higher, and plant nitrogen uptake is lower [37], Although nutrient loads are high, dilution causes NO3 and... 

Fig. 3 Nitrate and phosphate river water concentrations for the period 1981-2009 at the main Ebro channel (Sastago and Tortosa sites), at Aragon Gallego and Segre left margin tributaries, and at the Jalon and Matarranya right margin tributaries. Data are monthly values...

In contrast, during the low flow season (June-October) important nutrient loads from both point and non-point sources are relevant. Summer irrigation drives nitrate inputs to stream waters [38], The lower dilution capacity of the river causes higher concentrations of nitrate and DOC, as well as an increase in phosphate content with... 

Fig. 5 Main contamination sources identified by PCA for sediments, fish, and suface water in the Ebro River basin, and explained variances for each principal component. Variable identification. Organic compounds in sediments 1, summatory of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) 2, summa-tory of DDTs (DDTs) 3, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) 4, hexachlorobutadiene (HCBu) 5, summatory of trichlorobenzenes (TCBs) 6, naphthalene 7, fluoranthene 8, benzo(a)pyrene 9, benzo(b) fluoranthene 10, benzo(g,h,i)perylene 11, benzo(k)fluoranthene 12, indene(l,2,3-cd)pyrene. Organic compounds in fish 1, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) 2, summatory of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) 3, o,p-DDD 4, o,p-DDE 5, o,p-DDT 6, p,p-DDD 7, />,/>DDE 8, />,/>DDT 9, summatory of DDTs (DDTs) 10, summatory of trichlorobenzenes (TCBs) 11, hexachlorobutadiene (HCBu) 12, fish length. Physico-chemical parameters in water 1, alkalinity 2, chlorides 3, cyanides 4, total coliforms 5, conductivity at 20°C 6, biological oxygen demand 7, chemical oxygen demand 8, fluorides 9, suspended matter 10, total ammonium 11, nitrates 12, dissolved oxygen 13, phosphates 14, sulfates 15, water temperature 16, air temperature...

Block diagram of a remote spectrophotometric, flow injection based monitor for the determination of nitrate in river water. Reduction to nitrate by copperized cadmium followed by colour development with sulphanilimide and N-I-naphthylmethylenediamine dihydrochloride. 

As an example, we will consider the formation of nitrate biogeochemical provinces in the Desert region of biosphere in Zerafshan river watershed that occupies most of the Samarkand administrative region of Uzbekistan. This is an agricultural area with irrigation production of cotton and some other crops like cereals, vegetables and fruits. The natural biogeochemical provinces are characterized by iodine, copper, and zinc deficiency and lithium excess. 

Similarly, the dissolved oxygen concentration (DO), BOD (S), nitrates (N) and temperature of the river will also be effected according to... 

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