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Summary: The rapid economic development has caused heavy pollution in the Pearl River Delta Region (PRDR) and neighboring regions. In order to investigate the polluted characteristics, a coupled modelling approach has been deployed and the study area in the Pear River Delta is divided into two modelling systems: a river network that is simulated by a 1D hydrodynamic and water quality model, and an estuary that is modelled by a 3D model. The 1D river network model is coupled with the 3D estuary model based on the mass conservation criteria. The hydrodynamic (HD) model is based on 1D hydrostatic shallow water equations, and is solved by the Alternating Direction Implicit Approach. The water quality (WQ) model component is based on advection–diffusion equations. Some physical and bio-chemical processes are included in the WQ model to address the water pollution problems by different pollution substances, in particular, to the chemical oxygen demand (COD). The water quality data of the main rivers from 2004 to 2007 were collected, processed and evaluated. Because no detailed water quality data in the river is available, the COD source pollution intensity in the water quality model is taking the pollutant load from the confluence of the main five outlets of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) for 1996–2007 as surrogate. The results show that the pollutants from the PRDR have a large impact on the quality of the Hong Kong seawater and much more serious in the wet season with high river discharge. An insight of the flow and transportation mechanism in the river and estuary system has been obtained through the paper, and a reliable basis to control water pollution of the Pearl River Delta is provided in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Recent research has highlighted the substantial health-related costs of air pollution in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the potential threat from air pollution to HKSARs economic competitiveness. In order to address the air pollution problems, this paper seeks to analyse the individual contributions of major sulphur dioxide (SO2) sources in the Pearl River Delta Region (PRDR) (Pearl River Delta + HKSAR) on the air quality in the HKSAR. This study employed the coupling of the MM5/CALMET system with the CALPUFF, the multi-layer, non-steady-state puff dispersion model, where major power plants, marine vessels and vehicles, all in the PRDR, are taken into account. The observation data and simulation results at 11 Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (HKEPD) general (non-road-side) stations are analyzed. Urban (in-zone) and Rural (out-zone) stations are defined in order to examine the SO2 contribution of different emission sources in different regions of the HKSAR. The model results show that the contribution of the HKSAR marine sources is significant both in summer and in winter, especially for the locations around the in-zone stations (in general 60%, and 55% in summer and winter respectively). In addition, the contribution of the HKSAR power plants is slightly higher than that of the PRD power plants in early summer, with a contribution difference of up to 20% when the prevailing wind is from the south. However, in late summer, this situation reverses. In winter, the contribution of the PRD power plants is two to three times greater than that of the HKSAR power plants. Moreover, Yantian port affects the northern part of the HKSAR when a northeasterly wind dominates the HKSAR. In order to solve these air pollution problems, the main implication of these results suggests that the HKSAR government, in close co-operation with the Guangdong government, needs to take immediate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]