Nitrate isotopes (δ15N, δ18O) in precipitation: best practices from an international coordinated research project

Stable isotope ratios of nitrogen and oxygen (N-15/N-14 and O-18/O-16) of nitrate (NO3-) are excellent tracers for developing systematic understanding of sources, conversions, and deposition of reactive atmospheric nitrogen (N-r) in the environment. Despite recent analytical advances, standardized sampling of NO3-) isotopes in precipitation is still lacking. To advance atmospheric studies on N-r species, we propose best-practice guidelines for accurate and precise sampling and analysis of NO3- isotopes in precipitation based on the experience obtained from an international research project coordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The precipitation sampling and preservation strategies yielded a good agreement between the NO3- concentrations measured at the laboratories of 16 countries and at the IAEA. Compared to conventional methods (e.g., bacterial denitrification), we confirmed the accurate performance of the lower cost Ti(III) reduction method for isotope analyses (N-15 and O-18) of NO3- in precipitation samples. These isotopic data depict different origins and oxidation pathways of inorganic nitrogen. This work emphasized the capability of NO3- isotopes to assess the origin and atmospheric oxidation of N-r and outlined a pathway to improve laboratory capability and expertise at a global scale. The incorporation of other isotopes like O-17 in N-r is recommended in future studies.

Automated summary

Stable isotope ratios of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrate (NO3-) can be used as effective tracers to understand the sources, conversions, and deposition of reactive atmospheric nitrogen (N-r) in the environment. This study proposes best-practice guidelines for accurate and precise sampling and analysis of NO3- isotopes in precipitation based on an international research project coordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The results showed good agreement between the concentrations of NO3- measured at different laboratories, confirming the accuracy of the Ti(III) reduction method for isotope analysis. This work highlights the capability of NO3- isotopes to assess the origin and atmospheric oxidation of N-r and suggests incorporating other isotopes like O-17 in future studies.