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Quantitative assessment of non-point source pollution load of PN/PP based on RUSLE model: a case study in Beiluo River Basin in China

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Abstract

The runoff-sediment relationship in the Yellow River Basin of China is still grim. People pay more and more attention to non-point source (NPS) pollution caused by surface pollutants migrating into the receiving water body with rainfall runoff. The particulate load of pollutants adsorbed in the soil and sediment by erosion and denudation and migration into water is also quite serious. It is necessary to deeply analyze the quantitative relationship between particulate nitrogen and phosphorus (PN/PP) load and soil loss. The soil erosion estimation of different administrative units in the study basin is obtained by the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). The spatial distribution and the variation characteristics at different slopes and different land use of PN/PP load are discussed. An empirical equation of particulate organic load is used to calculate the PN/PP load. The results show that the multi-annual average erosion modulus of the basin is 358.33 t/(km2∙a); the multi-annual average soil erosion reaches 9.62 million tons. The PN/PP load caused by soil loss reaches 11,107.1 t and 7909.3 t, and the export coefficients are 4.13 kg/hm2 and 2.94 kg/hm2, respectively. Spatial distribution of the PN/PP load is in step with the soil erosion distribution. Soil erosion is prone to occur in the region under the slope of 8 ~ 25°, the NPS load of PN/PP are relatively large, and the average export coefficients of PN/PP are 7.17 kg/hm2 and 5.06 kg/hm2. With the increase of the slope, the PN/PP load export coefficient increases first and then decreases. Agricultural land (AGRL), forest land (FRST), and pasture (PAST) are the land use types that contribute the most to the PN/PP load and soil erosion, and the average export coefficients of PN/PP are 4.54 kg/hm2 and 3.23 kg/hm2, respectively. The variability of natural elements, the unevenness and heterogeneity of spatial distribution, and the heavy involvement of human activities will have a conspicuous impact on the soil erosion and NPS pollution processes in the basin. The research on the influence of single factor and combined factors on NPS pollution process can be strengthen and provides scientific theoretical basis for formulating reasonable and efficient water and soil conservation measures and NPS pollution control scheme, so as to achieve effective control and scientific management of environment pollution.

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Funding

This research was supported by the Key Research and Development Project of Shaanxi Province (2019ZDLSF06-01) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51879215).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, China

    Gai-rui Hao, Jia-ke Li, Shu Li & Huai-en Li

  2. Xi’an Land Water and Electricity Measurement and Control CO.LTD, Xi’an, China

    Kang-bin Li

  3. School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, China

    Zi-hang Zhang

Authors
  1. Gai-rui Hao
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  2. Jia-ke Li
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  3. Shu Li
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  4. Kang-bin Li
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  5. Zi-hang Zhang
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  6. Huai-en Li
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Correspondence to Jia-ke Li.

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Hao, Gr., Li, Jk., Li, S. et al. Quantitative assessment of non-point source pollution load of PN/PP based on RUSLE model: a case study in Beiluo River Basin in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 33975–33989 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09587-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09587-2

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