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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NOx
Published on: December 20, 2016
Source determination of nitrous oxide based on nitrogen and oxygen isotope tracing dealing with oxygen exchange
Dorien M Kool1, Jan Willem Van Groenigen, Nicole Wrage
1Department of Soil Quality, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Source determination of nitrous oxide (N(2)O) from soils has so far been complicated by methodological constraints: the frequently used (15)N tracer method could not differentiate between pathways related to nitrification, that is, nitrifier nitrification (NN), nitrifier denitrification (ND), and nitrification-coupled denitrification (NCD). To overcome this problem, a dual isotope method using both (15)N and (18)O was proposed. However, O exchange between nitrogen oxides and water has been found to disturb such a method. We here explain in detail a novel dual isotope method that allows to quantify O exchange in denitrification and to differentiate N(2)O production from NN, ND, NCD, and fertilizer denitrification (FD). The method has already been applied to a range of soils with good success. Potential of and scope for further improvement of the method are discussed.
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