ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effectiveness of Riparian Vegetated Filter Strips
in Removing Agricultural Nonpoint Source
Pollutants in Agricultural Runoff
from the Liao River Area, China
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1
Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
2
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin 123000, China
3
Liaoning Academy of Forestry Science, Shenyang 110032, China
4
Key Laboratory of Regional Environment and Eco-Remediation of Ministry of Education,
College of Environment, Shenyang University, Shenyang 110044, China
Submission date: 2020-12-24
Final revision date: 2021-02-23
Acceptance date: 2021-02-26
Online publication date: 2021-09-06
Publication date: 2021-09-22
Corresponding author
Qing Luo
Shenyang University, Dadong District, Wanghua South Street No. 21, 110044, ShenYang, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2021;30(5):4709-4718
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ABSTRACT
Riparian vegetated filter strips (RVFS) can effectively intercept agricultural non-point source
pollution (ANSP) into a water body and reduce the risk of water body pollution. The present study
evaluates the long-term effectiveness of different types and lengths (5 m, 9 m, 13 m) of RVFS in
reducing the suspended solids (SS) and nutrients from agricultural runoff. Three field experimental plots
(T1-T2-T3) planted with weeds, sweet clover (Melilotus suaveolens L.) and sweet clover/Chinese
wingnut (Pterocarya stenoptera C. DC.) were established adjacent to the agricultural edge from 2011
to 2018. The runoff volumes, SS, and nutrients concentrations were determined at each effective runoff
event during the study periods. The results indicated that all RVFS (T1, T2, and T3) reduced the mass
of the nutrients rather than the concentration in all runoff events. In the rainfall events, the pollutants
were reduced significantly in the presence of RVFS. The removal efficiency of T2 and T3 amounted to
79% and 84% for SS within the first 5 m, which was significantly higher than T1(61%). The 9 m-long
T3 caused a significant reduction in the mean total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved phosphorus (DP)
by 84% and 82%, respectively. More than 70% of the pollutants from rainfall runoff could be controlled
by a 13 m RVFS. The snow-melt events increased the risk of ANSP migrating to streams, especially
for the DP. However, the Chinese wingnut strip increased the filtering capacity of the DP as compared to the other two RVFS. Results from this study confirmed that the RVFS is a very effective mitigation
system to reduce the sediment and nutrient loads in the agricultural runoff.