Arid Zone Research ›› 2025, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (8): 1473-1487.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2025.08.11

• Ecology and Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Spatial distribution and factors influencing “three nitrogen” in groundwater in the oasis area of the Turpan Basin

ZHAO Xiaoyu1,2,3(), JIANG Feng1,2,3, ZHOU Jinlong1,2,3(), ZHOU Yinzhu1,4, DING Qizhen1,2,3   

  1. 1. College of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    2. Xinjiang Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering Research Center, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    3. Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Security and Water Disasters Prevention, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    4. Center for Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300304, China
  • Received:2025-04-09 Revised:2025-06-05 Online:2025-08-15 Published:2025-11-24

Abstract:

Groundwater plays an essential role in supporting economic development in the oasis region of the Turpan Basin, Xinjiang, China. However, pollution by the “three nitrogen” compounds (NO3--N, NO2--N, and NH4+-N) poses a certain degree of environmental and health risks to local residents. Based on the analysis results of 54 groundwater samples collected in 2023, this study investigates the spatial distribution and factors influencing the “three nitrogen” forms using mathematical statistics, the APCS-MLR model, hydrochemical correlation analysis, ion ratio analysis, and spatial interpolation methods. The results revealed the following: (1) Groundwater in the study area was generally neutral to weakly alkaline and primarily comprised fresh water. The over-standard rate for NO3--N was 35.56%, whereas NO2--N and NH4+-N concentrations did not exceed the standard. Horizontally, NO3--N concentrations increased gradually from northwest to southeast. Vertically, excessive NO3--N was mainly concentrated in unconfined shallow waters at depths of 60-100 m and in confined shallow groundwater at depths of 20-55 m. (2) The “three nitrogen” species in groundwater were derived from different pollution sources. The APCS-MLR analysis indicated that NO3--N was predominantly associated with anthropogenic activities (47.56%), NO2--N was mainly affected by natural conditions (62.47%), and NH4+-N was largely related to alkaline and reducing environments (55.73%). (3) The primary factors influencing the spatial distribution of the “three nitrogen” compounds included human activities, hydrochemical environment, groundwater table depth, and the lithology of the vadose zone.

Key words: groundwater, three nitrogen compounds, APCS-MLR model, influencing factors, Turpan Basin