Dual nitrate isotopes (δN/δO-NO) are an effective tool for tracing nitrate sources in freshwater systems worldwide. However, the initial δN/δO values of different nitrate sources might be altered by isotopic fractionation during nitrification, thereby limiting the efficiency of source apportionment results. This study integrated hydrochemical parameters, site-specific isotopic compositions of potential nitrate sources, multiple stable isotopes (δD/δO-HO, δN/δO-NO and ΔO-NO), soil incubation experiments assessing the nitrification N-enrichment factor (ε), and a Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR) to reduce/eliminate the influence of N/O-fractionations on nitrate source apportionment. Surface water samples from a typical drinking water source region were collected quarterly (June 2021 to March 2022). Nitrate concentrations ranged from 0.35 to 3.06 mg/L (mean = 0.78 ± 0.46 mg/L), constituting ∼70 % of total nitrogen. A MixSIAR model was developed based on δN/δO-NO values of surface waters and the incorporation of a nitrification ε (-6.9 ± 1.8 ‰). Model source apportionment followed: manure/sewage (46.2 ± 10.7 %) > soil organic nitrogen (32.3 ± 18.5 %) > nitrogen fertilizer (19.7 ± 13.1 %) > atmospheric deposition (1.8 ± 1.6 %). An additional MixSIAR model coupling δN/δO-NO with ΔO-NO and ε was constructed to estimate the potential nitrate source contributions for the June 2021 water samples. Results revealed similar nitrate source contributions (manure/sewage = 43.4 ± 14.1 %, soil organic nitrogen = 29.3 ± 19.4 %, nitrogen fertilizer = 19.8 ± 13.8 %, atmospheric deposition = 7.5 ± 1.6 %) to the original MixSIAR model based on ε and δN/δO-NO. Finally, an uncertainty analysis indicated the MixSIAR model coupling δN/δO-NO with ΔO-NO and ε performed better as it generated lower uncertainties with uncertainty index (UI) of 0.435 compared with the MixSIAR model based on δN/δO-NO (UI = 0.522) and the MixSIAR model based on δN/δO-NO and ε (UI = 0.442).
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