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ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Pollution and Carbon Sequestration
of Highway Runoff in Karst Regions:
A Case Study from Guangxi, China
1
Guangxi Xinfazhan Communication Group Co., Ltd., Nanning 530029, China
2
Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics,
Ministry of Natural Resources & Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, International Research Centre on Karst,
UNESCO, Guilin, Guangxi 541004, China
3
Pingguo Guangxi, Karst Ecosystem, National Observation and Research Station, Pingguo 531406, Guangxi, China
Submission date: 2024-04-29
Final revision date: 2024-05-28
Acceptance date: 2024-06-12
Online publication date: 2024-10-07
Publication date: 2025-05-09
Corresponding author
Fen Huang
Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, Ministry of Natural Resources & Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, International Research Centre on Karst, UNESCO, Guilin, Guangxi 541004, China
Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, Ministry of Natural Resources & Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, International Research Centre on Karst, UNESCO, Guilin, Guangxi 541004, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2025;34(4):4083-4094
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Highway runoff is a known source of pollution; however, its ability to sequester carbon is less well
understood. In this study, we examined the pollution, sources, and carbon sequestration of highway
runoff in karst areas of Guangxi, China. Runoff samples were collected from different locations during
the rainy season. Suspended solids, CODMn, NH3–N, and Mn were identified as the primary pollutants.
Factor analysis revealed five main sources of highway runoff: traffic, construction, carbonate weathering,
rainfall combined with artificial fertilizers, and artificial fertilizers alone. Traffic and carbonate
weathering emerged as the predominant factors in the Yaji section of the Guilin Ring Expressway (YJ) and
adjacent to the Baizhujing Reservoir (BZJ), while construction and carbonate weather were the primary
factors in Xincheng County (XC). The carbon sequestration capacity of highway runoff was the highest
in XC, followed by BZJ and YJ. YJ and BZJ accounted for 15-21% of that observed in a karst spring
in the same region, revealing a 3.44-4.64–fold increase compared to silicate basins. Thus, despite being
a source of pollution, the function of highway runoff as a carbon sink may be key to emission reduction
efforts.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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