Skip to main content

Estimation methods and monitoring network issues in the quantitative estimation of land-based COD and TN loads entering the sea: a case study in Qingdao City, China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 21, pages 10067–10082 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

At present, the monitoring network of China cannot provide sufficient data to estimate land-based pollutant loads that enter the sea, and estimation methods are imprecisely used. In this study, the selection of monitoring stations, monitoring frequency, and pollutant load estimation methods was studied in Qingdao City, a typical coastal city in China, taken as an example. Land-based pollutant loads from Qingdao were estimated, and load distribution, density, and composition were analyzed to identify the key pollution source regions (SRs) that need to be monitored and controlled. Results show that the administrative land area of Qingdao can be divided into 25 sea-sink source regions (SSRs). A total of 14 more rivers and 62 industrial enterprises should be monitored to determine the comprehensive pollutant loads of the city. Furthermore, the monitoring frequency of rivers should not be less than three times/year; a monitoring frequency of five or more times is preferable. The findings on pollutant load estimation with the use of different estimation methods substantially vary; estimation results with the use of ratio-based methods were 10 and 22 % higher than those with the use of monitoring-based methods in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (TN), respectively. None-point sources contributed the majority of the pollutant loads at about 70 % of the total COD and 60 % of the total TN.

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
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

References

  • Bartlett D, Smith J (2004) GIS for coastal zone management. CRC Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Beale EML (1962) Some uses of computers in operational research. Industrielle Organ 31:51–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Cassidy R, Jordan P (2011) Limitations of instantaneous water quality sampling in surface-water catchments: comparison with near-continuous phosphorus time-series data. J Hydrol 405(1–2):182–193. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.05.020

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning (2003) National water environment capacity ratification technical guidance. Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dolan DM, Yui AK, Geist RD (1981) Evaluation of river load estimation methods for total phosphorus. J Great Lakes Res 7(3):207–214. doi:10.1016/S0380-1330(81)72047-1

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duan N (1983) Smearing estimate: a nonparametric retransformation method. J Am Stat Assoc 78(383):605–610. doi:10.2307/2288126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson RI (1986) River loads underestimated by rating curves. Water Resour Res 22(1):74–76. doi:10.1029/WR022i001p00074

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • GESAMP (1990) The state of the marine environment. IMO/FAO/UNESCO/WMO/IAEA/UN/UNEP Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution, Nairobi

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpern BS, Walbridge S, Selkoe KA, Kappel CV, Micheli F, D’Agrosa C, Bruno JF, Casey KS, Ebert C, Fox HE, Fujita R, Heinemann D, Lenihan HS, Madin EMP, Perry MT, Selig ER, Spalding M, Steneck R, Watson R (2008) A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems. Science 319(5865):948–952. doi:10.1126/science.1149345

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang J, Hong H, Zhang L (2008) Control division of agricultural non-point source pollution at medium-sized watershed scale in Southeast China. Front Environ Sci Eng China 2(3):333–339. doi:10.1007/s11783-008-0035-7

    Google Scholar 

  • International Scientific & Technical Data Mirror Site (2007) Shuttle Radar Topography Mission 90-meter. http://www.gscloud.cn. Accessed 4 November 2013 (in Chinese)

  • Jarvie HP, Neal C, Tappin AD (1997) European land-based pollutant loads to the North Sea: an analysis of the Paris Commission data and review of monitoring strategies. Sci Total Environ 194–195(0):39–58. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(96)05352-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jia F (2005) Quantitative evaluation of soil erosion and nutrients Loss for small watershed of loess plateau based on AnnAGNPS model. Ph.D, China Agricultrual University, Beijing (in Chinese)

  • 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 modelling approach. J Hydrol 183(3–4):323–349. doi:10.1016/0022-1694(95)02951-6

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnes PJ (2007) Uncertainties in annual riverine phosphorus load estimation: impact of load estimation methodology, sampling frequency, baseflow index and catchment population density. J Hydrol 332(1–2):241–258. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.07.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kronvang B, Bruhn AJ (1996) Choice of sampling strategy and estimation method for calculating nitrogen and phosphorus transport in small lowland streams. Hydrol Process 10(11):1483–1501. doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1085(199611)10:11<1483::aid-hyp386>3.0.co;2-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Littlewood IG, Marsh TJ (2005) Annual freshwater river mass loads from Great Britain, 1975–1994: estimation algorithm, database and monitoring network issues. J Hydrol 304(1–4):221–237. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2004.07.031

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Environmental Protection (2011) National key-monitored industrial enterprise screening methods. Ministry of Environmental Protection of the P.R. of China, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mukhopadhyay B, Smith EH (2000) Comparison of statistical methods for estimation of nutrient load to surface reservoirs for sparse data set: application with a modified model for phosphorus availability. Water Res 34(12):3258–3268. doi:10.1016/S0043-1354(00)00062-2

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Bureau of Statistics of China (2011) National industry classification. National Bureau of Statistics of China, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Qingdao Government (2013) Condition of Qingdao. http://qdsq.qingdao.gov.cn/n15752132/. Accessed 4 November 2013 (in Chinese)

  • Quilbé R, Rousseau AN, Duchemin M, Poulin A, Gangbazo G, Villeneuve J-P (2006) Selecting a calculation method to estimate sediment and nutrient loads in streams: application to the Beaurivage River (Québec, Canada). J Hydrol 326(1–4):295–310. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.11.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (1994) EPA’s polluted brochure. USEPA, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Verhoff FH, Melfi DA, Yaksich SM (1980) River nutrient and chemical transport estimation. J Environ Eng Div 106(3):591–608

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verma S, Markus M, Cooke RA (2012) Development of error correction techniques for nitrate-N load estimation methods. J Hydrol 432–433(0):12–25. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.02.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walling DE, Webb BW (1985) Estimating the discharge of contaminants to coastal waters by rivers: some cautionary comments. Mar Pollut Bull 16(12):488–492. doi:10.1016/0025-326X(85)90382-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y (2011a) Pollution source census traning materials, vol 8. Compilation committee of the first national pollution census China Environmental Science Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y (2011b) The pollution sources census data set vol 4. The first national pollution census data anthology. China Environmental Science Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y (2011c) Producing and discharging coefficient manual. The first national pollution census data anthology, vol 5. China Environmental Science Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb BW, Phillips JM, Walling DE, Littlewood IG, Watts CD, Leeks GJL (1997) Load estimation methodologies for British rivers and their relevance to the LOIS RACS(R) programme. Sci Total Environ 194–195(0):379–389. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(96)05377-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webb BW, Phillips JM, Walling DE (2000) A new approach to deriving ‘best-estimate’ chemical fluxes for rivers draining the LOIS study area. Sci Total Environ 251–252(0):45–54. doi:10.1016/S0048-9697(00)00413-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Chen Y, Zhang X, Ongley E, Zhao L (2012) Methodology for agricultural and rural NPS pollution in a typical county of the North China Plain. Environ Pollut 168:170–176. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2012.04.017

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the EPB of Qingdao for providing monitoring data. This study was supported by the following projects: the Science and Technology Development Plan of Qingdao (11-2-3-66-nsh), the Science and Technology Development Plan of Qingdao (11-2-1-18-hy), Fundamental Research Fund for the Central Universities (No. 201362014), the Ocean Public Welfare Scientific Research Project of the State Oceanic Administration, People’s Republic of China (No. 201205018), and the Scientific and Technical Projects of Shandong Province on Environmental Protection. The authors express their sincere thanks.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Department, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Ying Su, Xiulin Wang, Keqiang Li, Shengkang Liang, Guodong Qian & Aiquan Dai

  2. Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Ying Su, Keqiang Li, Shengkang Liang & Aiquan Dai

  3. Qingdao Environmental Protection Bureau, Qingdao, 266003, China

    Hong Jin

Authors
  1. Ying Su
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiulin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Keqiang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shengkang Liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Guodong Qian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Hong Jin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Aiquan Dai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keqiang Li.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Michael Matthies

Appendix

Appendix

Table 3 Detailed information of each SSRs and outlets
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Su, Y., Wang, X., Li, K. et al. Estimation methods and monitoring network issues in the quantitative estimation of land-based COD and TN loads entering the sea: a case study in Qingdao City, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 10067–10082 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3047-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3047-9

Keywords

  • Land-based pollutant loads
  • Estimation methods
  • Monitoring network
  • Qingdao City
  • Source regions
  • COD
  • TN