Stable isotopic composition of nitrate in Lake Taihu, China, and major inflow rivers

Identification of sources of nutrient pollution is a first step towards remediation of eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems. The stable isotope nitrogen-15 (N-15) is a natural indicator of nitrogen (N) source and biogeochemistry. We sampled Lake Taihu, a hyper-eutrophic lake in eastern China, and major inflow rivers during winter and spring of 2004 to determine concentration and delta N-15 of nitrate (NO3-). Nitrate concentrations in rivers and the lake were higher, in most cases, in spring than in winter. delta N-15D of NO3- was not correlated with NO3- concentration, indicating that concentrations alone are insufficient to describe N sources. Results show that riverine N inputs in winter are influenced by discharge of human sewage into rivers and the lake. In spring, however, wastewater inputs to the lake appear to be balanced by fertilizers, atmospheric, and/or N-2 fixation sources. Rain NO3- concentrations were seasonally high and isotopically enriched compared to potential sources, indicating that rain may be a significant or even dominant source of N to the lake during the rainy season. delta N-15 values show that urbanized areas of the lake have more sewage-derived N than those areas dominated by agriculture, aquaculture, or industry. This observation has important implications for human health, since Lake Taihu is a source of drinking and irrigation water as well as fish for human consumption.