The Source, Transport, and Removal of Chemical Elements in Rainwater in China

Abstract

Rainwater is one of the most important parts of water resources and aerosols. The content of chemical elements in rainwater influences air quality significantly. It is extremely important for high-quality sustainable agriculture development and the cultivation of China’s natural landscape to understand and control the sources, transport, and removal of chemical elements in rainwater. Currently, there are some reports on the sources and removal of chemical elements in rainwater; however, these papers do not completely and clearly explain where the chemical elements in the rainwater originate and how they are transported and removed. A review of published literature related to chemical elements in rainwater shows that industrialization and urbanization increase the levels of atmospheric pollutants and trace elements in rainwater, contaminating soil and surface water as well as other natural resources. The Chinese government established a series of sponge cities, rainwater wetlands, rainwater gardens, and biological detention pools to improve the quality of sewage so as to realize the reuse of water resources, the sustainable development of high-quality agriculture, and the cultivation of China’s natural landscape.