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Isotope Hydrology: Tracing Water’s Journey and Water–Rock Interactions in a Changing World

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; water–rock interactions; groundwater recharge; fate of nutrients (S-N-C); groundwater age dating
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Guest Editor
School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; water–rock interactions; water cycle; moisture cycling; hydrochemistry; runoff process
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; groundwater contamination; arsenic hydro-biogeochemistry; aquifer remediation; machine learning in groundwater

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Guest Editor
Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; monsoon; El Niño–Southern Oscillation; ice core; atmospheric water cycle

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Guest Editor
College of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; groundwater recharge; groundwater age dating; water contamination tracing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Geology & Geophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; water–rock interaction; dynamics of the water cycle; water–rock–gas interaction; geothermal resources
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Isotope hydrology has emerged as a pivotal tool for understanding hydrological processes, tracing water movement, and addressing critical challenges in water resource management under changing climatic and anthropogenic pressures. By leveraging stable and radioactive isotopes, researchers gain unique insights into the origin, age, distribution, and interactions of water across the hydrological cycle. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advancements, innovative methodologies, and interdisciplinary applications in isotope hydrology, fostering collaboration to tackle pressing global water security issues.

We invite contributions that explore the integration of isotopic techniques with hydrological, ecological, and climatological studies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Isotopic tracing of groundwater recharge, flow pathways, and surface water–groundwater interactions;
  • Applications in climate change studies (e.g., paleohydrology, precipitation dynamics);
  • Water resource sustainability and contamination assessment using isotopic tracers;
  • Advances in analytical techniques (e.g., high-resolution spectrometry, compound-specific isotopes);
  • Ecohydrological processes and isotope-enabled modeling;
  • Isotopes in addressing transboundary water management and policy challenges.

This Special Issue seeks to showcase cutting-edge research, case studies, and reviews that bridge scientific discovery with practical solutions. By uniting diverse perspectives, we aim to advance the role of isotope hydrology in promoting resilient water systems and informed decision making.

We look forward to your submissions and to fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas within this critical field.

Prof. Dr. Tianming Huang
Prof. Dr. Buli Cui
Prof. Dr. Xianjun Xie
Dr. Zhongyin Cai
Prof. Dr. Jinlong Zhou
Prof. Dr. Zhonghe Pang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • isotope hydrology
  • water–rock–gas interaction
  • surface water–groundwater interaction
  • groundwater recharge
  • fate of nutrients (S-N-C-P)
  • groundwater age dating
  • water contamination tracing
  • water quality
  • atmospheric water cycle
  • paleoclimate
  • geothermal resources
  • CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage)

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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