Tag Archives: nitrate

Presence of Nitrite and Nitrate Anions in Precipitation in Tîrgu Mureş and Surrounding Areas as a Result of Nitric Oxide Pollution

Objective: The city of Tîrgu Mureş, and of course other cities around the world, is polluted with nitrogen oxides. Most of the time, nitrogen oxides concentration into the air is between legal limits. However, this measurement is made on ground level and most of the pollutant gases are raised into the atmosphere from where is possible to return to the ground in form of nitrite and nitrate. These substances can contaminate soil and groundwater. The objective of the study was to measure nitrite and nitrate contents in groundwater and precipitation in and around Tîrgu Mureş.
Methods: A simple ion pair high pressure liquid chromatographic method with UV detection was used.
Results: High amounts of nitrite and nitrate were measured up to 25 km from the city of Tîrgu Mureş. An astonishing 4200 mg/ml melted snow was measured at about 100 m from the polluting plant. Other concentrations were between tens and hundreds of μg/ml melted snow. Rain water concentrations were in the same range. Most of the spring water samples we tested were over the drinking water limits stated by EU.
Conclusions: The high amounts of nitrites and nitrates found in precipitations around the city of Tîrgu Mureş show that pollution with nitrogen oxides goes beyond expected extent. This pollution is a health risk since precipitation will contaminate soil, and possibly crops will be contaminated too. Presence of airborne free radicals and activated pollutants will also increase due to the presence of these anions in unusual high amounts in air moisture.

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Presence of Nitrate and Nitrite in Well Water in Mureș County

DOI: 10.1515/amma-2015-0063

Objective: One of the most important sources of nitrite and nitrate anions, besides vegetables and meat products, is the drinking water. Presence of nitrite and nitrate in the water in higher concentrations than those set by EFSA (0.5 mg/l nitrite, 50 mg/l nitrate), may have toxicological significance. A quantitative determination of these ions in samples collected from several pleases from Mureș County was made.
Methods: Ninety-seven well water samples were tested from 12 different places from Mureș County. We used a simple HPLC-UV ion pair method for the determination of nitrite and nitrate concentrations. Sensitivity of the method enables the quantification for concentrations far below the MCL value.
Results: The highest amounts of nitrate and nitrite were measured in Sângeorgiu de Mureș and Cristeșt. Concentrations of nitrite and nitrate were exceeded in 4.12% and respectively 44.32% of the samples.
Conclusions: The high amounts of nitrites and nitrates existing in well water go beyond the expected extent. This pollution can become a health risk since this water is used in human nutrition especially in child nourishment.

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