A nitrogen and sulfur isotope investigation of redox conditions occurring in a shallow outwash aquifer.

The sources and distribution of elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations were determined using nitrogen and sulfur isotopes in groundwater from an unconfined outwash aquifer located in Jackson County, southern Indiana. Land use is mostly agricultural. Local farmers apply nitrogeneous inorganic fertilizers to their fields. In addition, two commercial confined feedlots house over two million chickens, and wastes are stored in seven interconnected lagoons at the larger feedlot. These wastes are later applied to an adjacent field via spray irrigation. Over 50 shallow wells (5 m deep), domestic wells (7 m deep) and deep wells (15to 20 m deep) were sampled over a two- year period to monitor nitrogen and sulfur inputs from these sources. Most shallow groundwater in the study area is above the EPA drinking water standards for nitrate-N (>10 mgL). Nitrate concentrations are highest down gradient from the spray irrigation field (53.5 mgL), yet are also elevated in up gradient groundwaters. Nitrogen isotopes are enriched in the heavier isotope (d15N-NO3 > +13.7 ooo) down gradient from the large feedlot and lightest signatures (d15N-NO3 < +2.0 ooo) are found in up gradient groundwater underlying fields that use inorganic fertilizers. Analytes associated with feedlot wastes (sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfate) are also elevated down gradient from the larger feedlot. Deep groundwater has no nitrate and higher sulfate concentrations than shallow waters. In two sets of multi-level wells, enrichment in both oxygen and nitrogen isotopes indicates that denitrification may occur at two depths: 1) locally in shallow waters adjacent to the waste lagoons; and 2) in deeper waters (approximately 10 m) throughout the study area. Sulfate isotopic signatures in deep groundwater approach the signature of pyrite found within the outwash (d34S-SO4 = -11.6 ooo). Autotrophic denitrification may be occurring where nitrate is reduced and the oxidation of pyrite is adding sulfate with depth.