Factors Affecting Water Quality in the Liao River Basin

Abstract

With the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization, the water quality of the Liao River Basin (LRB) has been seriously damaged by the influence of numerous pollution sources. This paper analyzes the main influencing factors and processes of water quality in the LRB from three aspects: natural environment changes, industrialization and urbanization, and agriculture. The study shows that the water temperature of the LRB is affected by air temperature and solar radiation. At the same time, the increase in vegetation cover reduces the river flow to a certain extent. Urbanization and industrialization are gradually affecting the water quality of the LRB, with heavy metal pollution and domestic wastewater discharge having a significant impact. Among the heavy metal pollutants, Hg is the central polluting heavy metal in the LRB. The old drainage pipe system in urban areas leads to wastewater overflow for domestic wastewater discharge, and most of the livestock and poultry wastewater in rural areas is discharged directly into the river without treatment. The large amount of water used for agricultural irrigation has reduced the flow of the LRB, and the use of chemical fertilizers has led to high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the river. This paper looks forward to exploring treatment options that align with the characteristics of water pollution sources in the LRB and hopes to provide a broader and deeper reference for the in-depth study and development of water quality in the LRB.