ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Evolution and Driving Forces of Non-Point Source
Pollution in a Developing Megacity: Beijing
as a Long-Term Case Study
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1
College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing Key Laboratory for Remote
Sensing of Environment and Digital Cities, Beijing, China
2
Beijing Weather Modification Office, Beijing, China
3
School of Biological Science, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
4
China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR), Beijing, China
5
Beijing Hydrological Center, Haidian District, Beijing, China
Submission date: 2018-10-15
Final revision date: 2018-11-16
Acceptance date: 2018-11-25
Online publication date: 2019-09-09
Publication date: 2019-12-09
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(1):763-777
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ABSTRACT
Nonpoint source pollution (NPSP) is a serious environmental problem faced by megacities
throughout the world. Unlike small cities, problems associated with NPSP are more complex in
developing megacities. However, long-term spatial and temporal variations in NPSP, as well as the
driving forces behind these changes, are still unknown for a developing megacity. In this study, we
used a model set containing export coefficients and statistical models to calculate NPSP load for five
NPSP types from 2006 to 2016 in Beijing and its four city functional zones. Our results indicate that the
total NPSP decreased by 8.1% from 2006 to 2016. Agricultural NPSP was the largest source of NPSP
and measured 46.2% in 2016. Agricultural NPSP, livestock NPSP and soil erosion NPSP decreased by
19.1%, 38.7%, and 0.8%. However, urban NPSP and rural NPSP increased by 10.8% and 8.5%. In the
four functional zones, urban NPSP in the capital function core zone decreased by 17.3%, total NPSP in
the urban functional development zone increased by 43.0%, total NPSP in the urban development fresh
zone decreased by 13.1% and total NPSP in the ecological conservation development zone decreased by
14.7%. The urban functional development zone was key to preventing future NPSP.