Legislation on protection of drinking water sources and local management practices in the Pearl River Delta region of China

The protection of drinking water sources is vital to urban development and public health.In this study,the current situation of the mandatory protection area for drinking water source in the Pearl River Delta region was investigated using a method combining Google Earth with the field survey.The gaps between management practices and legislation requirements were analyzed.Finally,several countermeasures for water resource protection were proposed as follows:to promote delineation in a more scientific way,to safeguard the sanctity of the law,to make better plan on water saving,and to encourage public participation in supervision and management.

Assessment of Spatial Distribution and Submerged Scope for Storm Surge in the Pearl River Delta Region

The aim of this study was to explore the spatial distribution and submerged scope for storm surge in the Pearl River Delta(PRD) region.Based on the data of storm surges in the PRD region in the past 30 years,the return periods of 12 tide-gauge stations for storm surges were calculated separately with the methods of Gumbel and Pearson-III.The data of another six tide-gauge stations in Guangdong Coast was quoted to depict the overall features of storm surges in Guangdong.Using least-square method,the spatial distribution models of storm surges in different return periods were established to reveal the distribution rule of the set-up values of storm surges.The spatial distribution curves of storm surges in different return periods in the PRD Region were drawn up based on the models and the terrain of Guangdong Coast.According to the curves,the extreme set-up values of storm surges in 1 000,100,10 a return periods were determined on each spot of Guangdong Coast.Applying the spatial analysis technology of ArcGIS,with the topography data of the PRD Region,the submerged scopes of flood caused by storm surge in 1 000,100,10 a return periods were drawn up.The loss caused by storm surges was estimated.Results showed that the storm surges and the topography of PRD region jointly led to the serious flood in the PRD region.This assessment would be useful for the planning and design department to make decision and provide government scientific basis for storm surge prediction,coastal engineering designing and the prevention of storm surge disaster.

SPATIAL AND SEASONAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF ATMOSPHERIC CARBONACEOUS AEROSOLS IN PEARL RIVER DELTA REGION, CHINA

Concentrations and spatial distributions of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in atmospheric particles were measured at 8 sites in four cities (Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai) of Pearl River Delta Region (PRDR), China during 2001 winter period and 2002 summer period. PM2.5 (particie diameter smaller than 2.5 um) and PM10 (particie diameter smaller than 10 um) samples were collected on pre-fired quartz filters with mini-volume samplers and analyzed using thermal optical reflectance (TOR) method. The average PM2.5and PM10 Ievel were 60.1 and 93.1 μg·m-3, respectively, with PM2.5 constituting 65.3% of the PM10 mass. The average OC and EC concentrations in PM2.5 were 12.0 and 5.1 μg·m-3, respectively, while those in PM10 were 16.0 and 6.5 μg·m-3, respectively. The carbo-naceous aerosol accounted for 37.2% of the PM2.5 and 32.8% of the PM10. The highest concentrations of OC and EC were observed at Guangzhou city in both vvinter and summer seasons. The average OC/EC ratios were 2.4 for PM2.5 and 2.5 for PM10, indicating the presence of secondary organic aerosols. The OC and EC in PRDR were found to be strongly correlated (correlation coefficients > 0.6), which implied that similar emission source contribute to the ambient carbon particles.

Wet and dry deposition fluxes of heavy metals in Pearl River Delta Region(China):Characteristics,ecological risk assessment,and source apportionment

The atmospheric deposition of heavy metals poses serious risks to the ecological system and human health. To advance our knowledge of atmospheric dry/wet heavy metal deposition in the PRD region, monthly fluxes were examined based on soluble/insoluble fractions of five heavy metal elements（Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr and Zn） in samples collected from January 2014 to December 2015 at Guangzhou（urban） and Dinghushan（suburban） sites. The ratios of wet/dry deposition fluxes indicated that heavy metal deposition was governed by wet deposition rather than dry deposition in the PRD region. Affected by the shifting of the Asian monsoon, wet deposition fluxes exhibited significant seasonal variation between summer monsoon seasons（April to September） and winter monsoon seasons（October to February） in this region. Cd was classified as an extremely strong potential ecological risk based on solubility and the Hakanson ecological risk index. Source contributions to wet deposition were calculated by PMF, suggesting that dust, biomass burning, industries,vehicles, long-range transport and marine aerosol sources in Guangzhou, and Zn fertilizers,marine aerosol sources, agriculture, incense burning, biomass burning, vehicles and the ceramics industry in Dinghushan, were the potential sources of heavy metals.

Compositions and sources of organic acids in fine particles(PM_(2.5)) over the Pearl River Delta region, south China

Organic acids as important constituents of organic aerosols not only influence the aerosols＇ hygroscopic property, but also enhance the formation of new particles and secondary organic aerosols. This study reported organic acids including C14-C32 fatty acids, C4-C9 dicarboxylic acids and aromatic acids in PM2.5 collected during winter 2009 at six typical urban, suburban and rural sites in the Pearl River Delta region. Averaged concentrations of C14-C32 fatty acids, aromatic acids and C4- C9 dicarboxylic acids were 157, 72.5 and 50.7 ng/m3, respectively. They totally accounted for 1.7% of measured organic carbon. C20-C32 fatty acids mainly deriving from higher plant wax showed the highest concentration at the upwind rural site with more vegetation around, while Cl4-C18 fatty acids were more abundant at urban and suburban sites, and dicarboxylic acids and aromatic acids except 1,4-phthalic acid peaked at the downwind rural site. Succinic and azelaic acid were the most abundant among C4-C9 dicarboxylic acids, and 1,2-phthalic and 1,4-phthalic acid were dominant aromatic acids. Dicarboxylic acids and aromatic acids exhibited significant mutual correlations except for 1,4-phthalic acid, which was probably primarily emitted from combustion of solid wastes containing polyethylene terephthalate plastics. Spatial patterns and correlations with typical source tracers suggested that C14-C32 fatty acids were mainly primary while dicarboxylic and aromatic acids were largely secondary. Principal component analysis resolved six sources including biomass burning, natural higher plant wax, two mixed anthropogenic and two secondary sources; further multiple linear regression revealed their contributions to individual organic acids. It turned out that more than 70% of C14-C18 fatty acids were attributed to anthropogenic sources, about 50%-85% of the C20-C32 fatty acids were attributed to natural sources, 80%-95% of dicarboxylic acids and 1,2-phthalic acid were secondary in contrast with that 81% of 1,4-phthalic acid was primary.

Aerosol Optical Properties and Radiative Impacts in the Pearl River Delta Region of China during the Dry Season

Aerosol optical properties and direct radiative effects on surface irradiance were examined using seven years （2006-2012） of Cimel sunphotometer data collected at Panyu--the main atmospheric composition monitoring station in the Pearl River Delta （PRD） region of China. During the dry season （October to February）, mean values of the aerosol optical depth （AOD） at 550 nm, the Angstrom exponent, and the single scattering albedo at 440 nm （SSA） were 0.54, 1.33 and 0.87, respectively. About 90% of aerosols were dominated by fine-mode strongly absorbing particles. The size distribution was bimodal, with fine-mode particles dominating. The fine mode showed a peak at a radius of 0.12 μm in February and October （- 0.10 μm3 μm-2）. The mean diurnal shortwave direct radiative forcing at the surface, inside the atmosphere （FATM）, and at the top of the atmosphere, was -33.4± 7.0, 26.1 ± 5.6 and -7.3 ±2.7 W m-2, respectively. The corresponding mean values of aerosol direct shortwave radiative forcing per AOD were -60.0 ±7.8, 47.3 ± 8.3 and -12.8 ±3.1 W m-2, respectively. Moreover, during the study period, FATM showed a significant decreasing trend （p 〈 0.01） and SSA increased from 0.87 in 2006 to 0.91 in 2012, suggesting a decreasing trend of absorbing particles being released into the atmosphere. Optical properties and radiative impacts of the absorbing particles can be used to improve the accuracy of inversion algorithms for satellite-based aerosol retrievals in the PRD region and to better constrain the climate effect of aerosols in climate models.

The regional nature of nitrate-dominant haze pollution during autumn over the Pearl River Delta area

China has experienced severe haze and visibility degradation problems in recent years because of rapid urbanization and industrialization.In this study,daily atmospheric fine-aerosol samples were concurrently collected at three sites over the Pearl River Delta(PRD)region during 1–29 October 2014.PM2.5 samples were analyzed for organic carbon and elemental carbon using a thermal/optical carbon analyzer.Major water-soluble inorganic ions including F−,Cl−,NO3−,SO42−,Na+,NH4+,K+,Mg2+,and Ca2+were analyzed by ion chromatography.The results show that the temporal variations of PM2.5 concentration at the three sites were highly parallel,with particle pollution events simultaneously observed during 13–19 October(EP1)and 23–27 October(EP2),suggesting that pollution events in the PRD region are usually regional.This can most likely be attributed to the significant influences of synoptic conditions,which regionally facilitate or block diffusion of air pollutants.The chemical compositions of PM2.5 at the three sites were also found to be similar,dominated by organics and sulfates.The results indicate that accumulation of traffic emissions seems to play important roles in particle pollution for the PRD region,leading in this case to elevated nitrate contributions during both EP1 and EP2 at the three sites.Moreover,the authors found that locally emitted aerosols from biomass burning only markedly influenced the air condition at one site,Nanhai,during EP1,while regionally transported biomass burning aerosols from eastern and northern Guangdong Province influenced all three sampling sites when the PRD was dominated by polluted air from these directions during EP2.

Concentrations of phthalates metabolites in blood and semen and the potential effects on semen concentration and motility among residents of the Pearl River Delta region in China

Exposure to phthalate acid esters(PAEs)has been found to have adverse effects on reproduction of human and animal.However,the effects on the semen quality are controversial.In this study,we have collected paired blood and sperm samples from patients(n=103)at a medical clinic in Guangzhou,China,to determine the concentrations of eight phthalate metabolites∑8m-PAEs).The concentration ranges of P8m-PAEs were 2.7-55 and 0.99-17 ng/mL in blood and semen samples,respectively.MEHP(median,3.6 ng/mL in blood and 0.55 ng/mL in semen)and MnOP(median,3.4 ng/mL in blood and 0.69 ng/mL in semen)were the predominant analytes in both blood and semen samples.However,analytes were not correlated in paired blood and semen.Semen motility was significantly associated to the concentrations of∑8m-PAEs in semen,but it did not associate to the concentrations of PAEs in blood.Multi-linear regression analysis,including concentrations of PAEs in both blood and semen,as well as BMI,occupation,living habits,suggested that exposure to PAEs at current environmental levels had very limited effects on semen quality of population in Guangzhou,China.

Ambient volatile organic compounds at a receptor site in the Pearl River Delta region:Variations,source apportionment and effects on ozone formation

We present the continuously measurements of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)at a receptor site(Wan Qing Sha,WQS)in the Pearl River Delta(PRD)region from September to November of 2017.The average mixing ratios of total VOCs(TVOCs)was 36.3±27.9 ppbv with the dominant contribution from alkanes(55.5%),followed by aromatics(33.3%).The diurnal variation of TVOCs showed a strong photochemical consumption during daytime,resulting in the formation of ozone(O_(3)).Five VOC sources were resolved by the positive matrix factorization(PMF)model,including solvent usage(28.6%),liquid petroleum gas(LPG)usage(24.4%),vehicle exhaust(21.0%),industrial emissions(13.2%)and gasoline evaporation(12.9%).The regional transport air masses from the upwind cities of south China can result in the elevated concentrations of TVOCs.Low ratios of TVOCs/NO_(x)(1.53±0.88)suggested that the O_(3) formation regime at WQS site was VOC-limited,which also confirmed by a photochemical box model with the master chemical mechanism(PBM-MCM).Furthermore,the observation on high-O_(3) episode days revealed that frequent O_(3) outbreaks at WQS were mainly caused by the regional transport of anthropogenic VOCs especially for aromatics and the subsequent photochemical reactions.This study provides valuable information for policymakers to propose the effective control strategies on photochemical pollution in a regional perspective.

Developing chemical signatures of particulate air pollution in the Pearl River Delta region, China

PM 2.5 samples were collected in a regional sampling network with three sites in Hong Kong and four sites in the adjacent inland Pearl River Delta （PRD） or Guangdong Province during four months/seasons from 2002–2003. Trans-boundary transport between Hong Kong and the inland PRD is inevitable under the influence of Asian monsoon. In summer, Hong Kong serves as the upwind site of the inland PRD while during other seasons it is under the influence of continental emissions. Previous studies have recognized the importance of using chemical signatures to differentiate local vs. regional contributions to air pollutants in Hong Kong such as the CO/NOx ratio, ratios of different VOC species. In this study, detailed chemical speciation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed with PM 2.5 samples to identify new chemical signatures to distinguish aerosols in Hong Kong from those from the inland PRD. Since Hong Kong is not influenced by the continental emissions from the inland PRD during summer, comparison focused on chemical data obtained from this season for chemical signatures. The new ratios developed from the current study include LCPI/HCPI ratio of alkanes （0.39 ± 0.02 in Hong Kong vs. 0.78 ± 0.08 in the inland PRD）, pyrene to benzo[ghi]perylene ratio （0.97 ± 0.21 in Hong Kong compared to 0.20 ± 0.06 in the inland PRD）, and the ratio of 1,2-benzenedioic acid to 1,4-benzenedioic acid （1.8 ± 0.1 in Hong Kong vs. 0.6 ± 0.05 in the inland PRD）. Results from this study also revealed that Hong Kong was impacted by ship emissions as reflected by substantially high V/Ni ratio （9 ± 2） while this ratio was about 1–2 at all sites in the inland PRD, which is very close to typical ratios from residual oil combustion.

Annual Fluxes of Heavy Metal Elements in Atmospheric Dry and Wet Depositions in the Pearl River Delta Economic Region, Guangdong Province

There are 158 sampling points to be set up in the Pearl River delta economic region. The collecting period is mostly one year, namely, from July 2007 to July 2008. The eight heavy metal elements of Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Hg, and Cd in 474 dry and wet deposition samples were tested in terms of the standard procedures. Their average annual fluxes have no obvious difference between dry deposition and wet deposition. So these elements might be at an equilibrium or quasi-equilibrium state between dry deposition and wet deposition.

Regional Economic Growth and Spillover Effects:An Analysis of China's Pan Pearl River Delta Area

The Pan Pearl River Delta （PPRD） Regional Co-operation Framework Agreement was signed in 2004. It aims to bring prosperity through partnership among nine Chinese Mainland provinces and China ＂s two special administrative regions. In this paper, we use a dynamic panel data model to examine the economic growth of the PPRD economies from 1985 to 2009. Our analysis confirms the existence of regional growth spillover effects in the PPRD area. Our results also show that economic growth spillover effects of non-PPRD regions on the PPRD regions are greater than those among the PPRD members themselves. These findings imply that economic integration between Chinese provinces has generated considerable spillover effects on regional growth. However, the anticipated benefits of the implementation of the PPRD agreement have not been realized thus far. Therefore, greater effort shouM be made to promote further economic integration among these members so that their local economies can benefit from the positive spillover effects.

Spatial Agglomeration of Exhibition Enterprises on a Regional Scale in China

During the past two decades, the exhibition industry in China has been developing rapidly and has become an important part of the modern service industry, particularly the agglomeration characteristics of exhibition enterprises highlighted on the regional scale. Although the development of theoretical research on the western exhibition industry has taken place over time, the spatial perspective has not been at the centre of attention so far. This paper aims to fill this gap and report on the agglomeration characteristics of exhibition enterprises and their influential factors. Based on data about exhibition enterprises in the Pearl River Delta(PRD) during 1991–2013, using the Ripley K function analysis and kernel density estimation, this research identifies that: 1) the exhibition enterprise on the regional scale is significantly characterized by spatial agglomeration, and the agglomeration density and scale are continuously increasing; 2) the spatial pattern of agglomeration has developed from a single-center to multi-center form. Meanwhile, this paper profiles the factors influencing the spatial agglomeration of exhibition enterprises by selecting the panel data of nine cities in the PRD in 1999, 2002, 2006 and 2013. The results show that market capacity, urban informatization level and exhibition venues significantly influence the location choice of exhibition enterprises. Among them, the market capacity is a variable that exerts a far greater impact than other factors do.

珠三角地区近20年城镇化与景观生态安全耦合协调分析

针对城镇化进程加快导致的珠三角地区生态景观胁迫程度日趋严峻,亟需加强区域生态保护的现状,构建新型城镇化与景观生态安全的耦合协调模型,定量测度2000—2020年珠三角地区城镇空间扩展与景观生态安全耦合协调时空格局以及发展状态,运用多元回归分析和灰色预测模型揭示其驱动机理,并预测2040年城镇空间扩展和景观生态安全耦合的发展趋势。结果表明:珠三角地区9市城镇化与景观生态安全的耦合协调度在20年间呈现缓慢波动上升的趋势,耦合协调度由2000年的0.305~0.436升至2020年的0.385~0.545,现处于拮抗耦合阶段,未来20年将继续向着协调同步、有序发展的方向前进。珠三角地区经济发展不平衡,城镇开发建设和生态环境保护难以同步发展,景观生态状况不乐观,生态环境滞后型的地市逐渐增多,尚未全面形成良好的协调发展状态。对外开放程度、经济发展水平、科技投入水平等因素对耦合协调度的影响较为显著(P<0.05),今后对于区域可持续发展需要加强耦合协调的机理研究,持续关注城镇空间拓展与景观生态安全的协调发展趋势及特征。

Space view of the decadal variation for typical air pollutants in the Pearl River Delta （PRD） region in China

The Pearl River Delta （PRD） is one of the most industrialized, urbanized and populated regions in China, and thus has been long suffering from severe air pollutions. Space data provide a unique perspective for investigating the atmospheric environment at a regional scale. By utilizing multiple satellite retrievals from 2005 to 2013, this study presented, for the first time, the spatial patterns and temporal trends of typical air pollutants over PRD and its vicinity. As viewed from space, aerosol optical depth （AOD）, NO2 and SO2 all had their higher values at the central part of PRD, and showed clear descending gradients as moving to the outskirt of this region. As to the inter-annual variation, all these pollutants had decreasing trends in PRD during the study period, which generally agreed with the relevant in situ measurements. However, the satellite retrievals differed from ground measurements when addressing NO2 and SO2 in the vicinity of PRD. This work also provides the inter-comparison among PRD and three other metropolitan clusters in China： PRD had relatively high AOD, moderate NO2 and low SO2 levels, and it was the only region achieving the effective reduction of NO2 and SO2 during last decade. Unlike the previous three pollutants, HCHO observed by satellite showed very special patterns： it had a relatively homogeneous spatial distribution over both of PRD and its vicinity, and presented an opposite increasing trend from 2005 to 2010. Moreover, PRD had the highest HCHO level among all the metropolitan clusters, hinting a considerable contribution of biogenic origins of HCHO in PRD.

Significance of Chinese Local Governments in China's Coastal Regional Economic Development:A Comparative Study on the Nine Cities in the Pearl River Delta Economic Region

Chinese local governments play an important role in the local economic development because of the formation of China's regional economic model after the Reform and Opening Policy in 1978. Based on the curiosity on what are the Chinese local governments' roles on the local economic development, I came up the research questions on local governments' role on macro regulation, participation and cooperation. In this paper I will talk about each question in detail.

京津冀与珠三角产业协同发展比较研究

2024年是京津冀协同发展战略实施10周年,产业协同发展取得显著成效,但仍存在一些现实困难。与珠三角进行对比分析,有助于进一步明确京津冀产业协同发展的差距短板,明晰下一步发展的方向。运用量化分析、复杂网络等方法,对京津冀与珠三角的产业协同特征、产业链和创新链融合、数字产业发展等状况进行对比分析,发现京津冀产业协同发展存在以下亟待解决的问题:基于主导产业的区域产业链分工格局尚未形成,数字经济发展不均衡,产业链和创新链融合不足等。基于此,提出以下对策建议:加快构建具有首都特点的现代化产业体系,加强区域产业链供应链协同联动,强化创新协同,协同打造数字经济新优势,促进基本公共服务均等化,助力京津冀打造中国式现代化建设的先行区、示范区。

Materializing the “Urban Region” Concept by Integrating Ecological Networks and Central Place Theory

This paper attempts to integrate urban development and ecological conservation by applying and syncretizing the “urban region” concept from landscape ecology and the “city-region” concept from socioeconomics. First, various concepts pertaining to regions are discussed and then, the integration of ecological conservation and urban development on a regional scale is introduced. Subsequently, the Greater Pearl River Delta, in China, is used as a case study area and landscape ecology’s “urban region” concept is applied to produce a landscape spatial arrangement framework for an urban region. This framework is achieved through the following steps: conceiving the study area as a region that consists of two urban regions, arranging ecological conservation landscapes by establishing a regional ecological network within the urban-region rings;and formulating an urban development strategy using central place theory. The resulting landscape spatial arrangement solution includes natural protection areas that cover half of the study area, several key strategic urbanizing locations, and suggestions for the strict protection of certain agricultural land-use areas. We believe that this framework facilitates a feasible exploration of land-use planning on a regional scale, although more in-depth studies are required to refine this approach.

粤港澳大湾区建设对区域市场一体化程度的影响研究

为探究区域战略变动对周边区域市场一体化程度的影响,文章以粤港澳大湾区建设准自然实验法替换了常见的时间序列检验,基于双重差分模型考察了粤港澳大湾区建设对所在珠三角地区市场一体化程度的影响。研究发现,粤港澳大湾区建设能显著促进珠三角地区的市场一体化发展。文章据此提出,应该进一步推动粤港澳大湾区战略的实施,同时要进一步加强区域间协作。