Skip to main content

Nitrogen Flow Analysis in Huizhou, South China

Environmental Management volume 41, pages 378–388 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Eutrophication due to uncontrolled discharges of nitrogen and phosphorus has become a serious pollution problem in many Chinese rivers. This article analyzes the nitrogen flow in Huizhou City in the East River watershed in south China. The material accounting method was applied to investigate the nitrogen flows related to human activities, which consist of the natural and anthropogenic systems. In Huizhou City, the nonpoint source pollution was quantified by the export coefficient method and the domestic discharge was estimated as the product of per capita nitrogen contribution and population. This research was conducted based on statistical information and field data from 1998 in the Huizhou City. The results indicated that the major nitrogen flows in this area were river loads, fertilizer and feedstuff imports, atmospheric deposition, animal manure volatilization, and processes related to burning and other emissions. In 1998, about 40% of the nitrogen was retained in the system and could result in potential environmental problems. Nitrogen export was mainly by rivers, which account for about 57% of the total nitrogen exported. Comparisons made between the East River and the Danube and Yangtze Rivers show that the unit area nitrogen export was of the same magnitude and the per capita nitrogen export was comparable.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  • Baccini P, Brunner PH (1991) Metabolism of the anthroposphere. Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp. 157

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachand PAM, Horne AJ (2000) Denitrification in constructed free-water surface wetlands: II. Effects of vegetation and temperature. Ecological Engineering, 14:17–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barker JC (1991) Consideration in developing a waste management plan. North Carolina State University: Cooperative Extension Service Waste Management Institute, Raleigh, North Carolina

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunner PH, Rechberger H (2004) Practical Handbook of Material Flow Analysis. CRC Press, New York, USA, pp. 318

    Google Scholar 

  • Caraco NF, Cole JJ (1999) Human impact on nitrate export: An analysis using major world rivers. Ambio 28(2):167–170

    Google Scholar 

  • DARP (Danube Applied Research Program) (1997) Nutrient balances for Danube countries. Final report, Institute for Water Quality and Waste Management. University of Technology, Vienna and Department of Water and Wastewater Engineering, University of Technology, Budapest. pp. 98

    Google Scholar 

  • De Wit M (2000) Modeling nutrient fluxes from source to river load: A macroscopic analysis applied to the Rhine and Elbe basins. Hydrobiologia 410: 123–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DGG (Department of Geology, Guangzhon) (1982) Regional investigation report of hydrogeology: Guiyand and Shenzhen, 1980. Guangzhou, p 189 (in Chinese)

  • Du S (2003) Agricultural production and the trend of fertilizer demand in China. (http://www.agri.gov.cn/jjps/t20040116_156494.htm) (in Chinese)

  • Fisher DC, Graso J, Mathew T, Oppenheimer U (1988) Polluted coastal waters: The role of acid rain. Environmental Defense Fund, Oakland, California, p. 73

    Google Scholar 

  • GHCC (Guangdong History Compiling Committee) (1999) Guangdong Chronicle - Geography. Guangdong People Press, Guangdong, China, pp. 434 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • GSSO (Guangdong Soil Survey Office) (1993) Guangdong Soil. Science and Technology Press, Beijing, pp. 678 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • GYCC (Guangdong Yearbook Compilation Committee) (2000) Guangdong Yearbook 1999. Guangdong Yearbook Press, Guangzhou, pp. 511 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ho KC, Hui KC (2001) Chemical contamination of the East River (Dongjiang) and its implication on sustainable development in the Pearl River Delta. Environment International 26: 303–308

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hong X, Li H (2000) Correlation method of water quality and quantity and its application to load estimation of nonpoint source pollution. Journal of Xi’an University of Science and Technology 16(4):384–387 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Huizhou Government (2000) Huizhou Yearbook 1999. China Economics Press House, Beijing, pp. 530 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson LL, Keeney DR, Gilbert EM (2000) Pig manure loss and its implication for management in Iowa State (translated by Lou, Y. Hao, Y., 2001). Soil and Water Conservation 2:4–6 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia G, Peng P, Fu J (2003) Sedimentary Records of Accelerated Eutrophication for the last 100 Years at the Pearl River Estuary. Quaternary Sciences, Vol. 22 (2), pp. 158–165 (in Chinese)

  • Jiang Z, Dong X (1999) Wood construction materials and their decoration techniques. Sichuan Science and Technology Press, Chengdu, pp. 144 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin H (2001) A study on the aquatic environment in Dongguan reach of the Dongjiang River. Research of Environmental Sciences 14:45–48 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin H, Li L, Zhu J (2001) Trend of changes in water quality of the middle reaches of the Dongjiang River. Journal of Guangxi Normal University 18:60–62 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnes PJ (1996) Evaluation and management of the impact of land use change on the nitrogen and phosphorus load delivered to surface waters: the export coefficient modeling approach. Journal of Hydrology 183:323–349

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Larsen, J (2004) Dead Zones Increasing in World’s Coastal Waters. (http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update41.htm)

  • Li H, Lee J, Koenig A, Jayawardena A (2003) Nutrient load estimation of nonpoint source pollution for Hong Kong region. Proceedings, Diffuse Pollution Conference Dublin 2003, Dublin: IWA, pp. 6–88–93

  • Liu J, Liu M, Deng X, Zhuang D, Zhang Z, Luo D (2002) The land-use and land-cover change database and its relative studies in China, Journal of Geographical Sciences, 12(3):275–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Zhuang D, Liu M (1999) Research activities on land-use/cover change in the past ten years in China using space technology. Chinese Geographical Sciences 9(4):330–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Zhuang D, Luo D (2003) Land-cover classification of China: Integrated analysis of AVHRR Imagery and Geo-physical data. International Journal of Remote Sensing 24(12):2485–2500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minnesota Department of Agriculture (1999) Useful nutrient management data. (http://www.mda.state.mn.us/appd/usefulnutrmgmtdata.pdf)

  • Qian H Liang S (1999) Study on the red tide in the Pearl River Estuary and its near waters. Marine Environmental Science 18(3):69–74 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Shen Z, Liu Q, Zhang S, Miao H, Zhang P (2003) A nitrogen budget of the Changjiang River catchment. Ambio 32:65–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun Z (2003) Expert comments: urbanization degree reaches 37% in 2003, and will reach 60% in the middle of this century in China. (http://www.cass.net.cn/webnew/file/200308047794.html) (in Chinese)

  • Tachibana H, Yamamoto K, Yoshizawa K, Magara Y (2001) Non-point pollution of Ishikari River, Hokkaido, Japan. Water Science and Technology 44(7):1–8

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warren-Rhodes K, Koenig A (2001) Escalating trends in the urban metabolism of Hong Kong: 1971–1997. Ambio 30(7):429–438

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Windisch, W (2000) Pollutants in animal manure: Factors of emission and strategies for reduction. (http://agriculture.de/acms1/conf6/ws4poll.htm)

  • Worrall F, Burt TP (1999) The impact of land-use change on water quality at the catchment scale: The use of export coefficient and structural models. Journal of Hydrology 221:75–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WRPD (Water Resources Protection Department of Pearl River) (2000) Water quality compliance-with-standards planning for the mainstream of Dongjiang River Basin. Pearl River Water Resources Commission, Guangzhou, pp. 215 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S (1992) Red tides in the coastal area and its countermeasures in China. In: Shi Y, Huang D, Chen Y (eds), Nature Disasters Analysis and the Mitigation Measures Against Damages in China. Hubei Science and Technology Press, Wuhan (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X (2006) Ecological Significance of Acid Rain Transformation in Huizhou City. Journal of Agro-Environment Science, 25:733–736 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang D, Liu J, Ling Y (1997) Vegetation integrated classification and mapping using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Chinese Geographical Sciences 1(4):302–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the joint research project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50318003) and the Research Grant Council of Hong Kong (N-HKU747/03). It was also supported by the research project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50379056).

Author information

Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Xiaobo Ma

  2. State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Xiaobo Ma & Zhaoyin Wang

  3. Department of Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Zegao Yin

  4. Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Albert Koenig

Authors
  1. Xiaobo Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhaoyin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zegao Yin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Albert Koenig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhaoyin Wang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ma, X., Wang, Z., Yin, Z. et al. Nitrogen Flow Analysis in Huizhou, South China. Environmental Management 41, 378–388 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-007-9053-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-007-9053-7

Keywords

  • Nitrogen flow
  • Material accounting
  • Export coefficient method
  • Huizhou
  • East River Basin