Dynamics and emissions of N2O in groundwater: A review

This work reviews the concentrations, the dynamics and the emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) in groundwater. N2O is an important greenhouse gas (GHG) and the primary stratospheric ozone depleting substance. The major anthropogenic source that contributes to N2O generation in aquifers is agriculture because the use of fertilizers has led to the widespread groundwater contamination by inorganic nitrogen (N) (mainly nitrate, NO3−). Once in the aquifer, this inorganic N is transported and affected by several geochemical processes that produce and consume N2O. An inventory of dissolved N2O concentrations is presented and the highest dissolved concentration is about 18.000 times higher than air-equilibrated water (up to 4004 μg N L-1). The accumulation of N2O in groundwater is mainly due to denitrification and to lesser extent to nitrification. Their occurrence depend on the geochemical (e.g., NO3−, dissolved oxygen, ammonium and dissolved organic carbon) as well as hydrogeological parameters (e.g., groundwater table fluctuations and aquifer permeability). The coupled understanding of both parameters is necessary to gain insight on the dynamics and the emissions of N2O in groundwater. Overall, groundwater indirect N2O emissions seem to be a minor component of N2O emissions to the atmosphere. Further research might be devoted to evaluate the groundwater contribution to the indirect emissions of N2O because this will help to better constraint the N2O global budget and, consequently, the N budget.