Situation of sewage input reflected by nitrogen isotopic composition in a sediment core of Hongfeng Lake

Nitrogen in Hongfeng South Lake water mainly comes from sewage with high N concentrations from Pingba Chemical Fertilizer Plant (PCFP). Studies on the sediment core HF010427 sampled in the lake showed that the upward increase of nitrogen isotopic composition of sedimentary organic nitrogen (δ15Norg) accorded with the trend of industrial total production (TP) of PCFC. On the contrary, diagenesis will theoretically cause an upward decrease of δ15Norg. Because no treatment of sewage water was carried out, TP corresponds with sewage emission, indicating that sedimentary δ15Norg can reflect well the total trend of sewage input. The very similar profile shape between nitrogen isotopic composition of sedimentary absorbed ammonium (δ15NH4 absorbed +) and TP of PCFP suggests that δ15NH4 absorbed + can be used to reconstruct more detailed situation of sewage input. The study has a reference to history investigation of sewage input.