title: Changes in atmospheric nitrate deposition in Germany--an isotopic perspective.
abstract: We investigated the isotopic composition of atmospheric NO3(-) deposition at a moderately polluted site in Western Europe over an annual cycle from December 2011 to November 2012. On average, we measured load-weighted δ(15)N values of +0.1 and +3.0‰ in wet and dry deposition, respectively. A comparison to source-specific N emission trends and to isotope data from the 1980s reveals distinct changes in δ(15)N-NO3(-) values: In contrast to the increasing relative importance of isotopically depleted natural NOx sources, we find an increase of isotope values in comparison to historical data. We explore the role of land-based N sources, because backward trajectories reveal a correlation of higher δ(15)N to air mass origin from industrialized areas. Nowadays isotopically enriched NOx of coal-fired power plants using selective catalytic converters and land-based vehicle emissions, which use same technology, are apparently the main driver of rising δ(15)N values in nitrate deposition.
authors: Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany. Electronic address: Fabian.Beyn@hzg.de.
authors: Fabian
authors: F
authors: Beyn
authors: Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
authors: Volker
authors: V
authors: Matthias
authors: Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
authors: Kirstin
authors: K
authors: Dähnke
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005060:Europe; D005858:Germany; D007554:Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis*; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007554:Isotopes; D009566:Nitrates; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides
keywords: Atmospheric nitrate deposition; Catalytic converters; NO(x) emission; Nitrogen isotopes