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Volume 18
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10.3390/w18141663
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Identification and Quantitative Analysis of Nitrate Sources in Strontium-Rich Mineral Water of Chengde City Based on the MixSIAR Model

by
Yanliang Zhai
1,2,
Jingyi Xie
1,
Ruifeng Wang
1,2,*,
Baizhong Yan
2,3,
Wenyang Wang
1,
Yuqing Ren
1,
Jiashuai Kang
1 and
Songlong Zhang
1
1
The 4th Geological Team of Hebei Geology and Mining Bureau (Water Source Conservation Research Center of Hebei Province), Chengde 067000, China
2
Hebei Key Laboratory of Mountain Geological Environment, Chengde 067000, China
3
Hebei Province Collaborative Innovation Center for Sustainable Utilization of Water Resources and Optimization of Industrial Structure, Hebei GEO University, Shijiazhuang 050031, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Water 2026, 18(14), 1663; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18141663
Submission received: 5 June 2026 / Revised: 30 June 2026 / Accepted: 7 July 2026 / Published: 8 July 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Knowledge of the Impacts of Contaminants in Aquatic Environments)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Nitrate is one of the most prevalent inorganic pollutants in groundwater systems. Its concentration directly affects the safety assessment of groundwater quality. To scientifically identify nitrate sources in strontium-rich mineral water and facilitate the protection of mineral water resources, this study selects Chengde City, Hebei Province, as the study area. Nitrate source apportionment was quantified using the MixSIAR model, with uncertainties assessed via cumulative probability distributions. The results show that the nitrate concentration in strontium-rich mineral water of the study area ranges from <0.003 to 70.2 mg/L, with a coefficient of variation of 1.24, indicating high data dispersion. The nitrate sources present a mixed pollution characteristic dominated by natural processes and supplemented by human activities. Nitrification dominates biogeochemical processes of strontium-rich mineral water. Soil nitrogen is the primary contributor to nitrate in mineral water, with an average contribution rate of 70.4%, followed by manure; synthetic fertilizers and rainwater together account for less than 1% of the total. Uncertainty analysis shows that contributions of rainwater, synthetic fertilizer, manure, and soil nitrogen to nitrate in strontium-rich mineral water remain stable (UI95 < 0.15), verifying reliable results. This study provides guidance for protecting mineral water quality and sustainable resource exploitation.
Keywords: strontium-rich mineral water; nitrate source; MixSIAR model; nitrogen and oxygen isotopes; quantitative analysis strontium-rich mineral water; nitrate source; MixSIAR model; nitrogen and oxygen isotopes; quantitative analysis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhai, Y.; Xie, J.; Wang, R.; Yan, B.; Wang, W.; Ren, Y.; Kang, J.; Zhang, S. Identification and Quantitative Analysis of Nitrate Sources in Strontium-Rich Mineral Water of Chengde City Based on the MixSIAR Model. Water 2026, 18, 1663. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18141663

AMA Style

Zhai Y, Xie J, Wang R, Yan B, Wang W, Ren Y, Kang J, Zhang S. Identification and Quantitative Analysis of Nitrate Sources in Strontium-Rich Mineral Water of Chengde City Based on the MixSIAR Model. Water. 2026; 18(14):1663. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18141663

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhai, Yanliang, Jingyi Xie, Ruifeng Wang, Baizhong Yan, Wenyang Wang, Yuqing Ren, Jiashuai Kang, and Songlong Zhang. 2026. "Identification and Quantitative Analysis of Nitrate Sources in Strontium-Rich Mineral Water of Chengde City Based on the MixSIAR Model" Water 18, no. 14: 1663. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18141663

APA Style

Zhai, Y., Xie, J., Wang, R., Yan, B., Wang, W., Ren, Y., Kang, J., & Zhang, S. (2026). Identification and Quantitative Analysis of Nitrate Sources in Strontium-Rich Mineral Water of Chengde City Based on the MixSIAR Model. Water, 18(14), 1663. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18141663

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