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Impact assessment of human diet changes with rapid urbanization on regional nitrogen and phosphorus flows—a case study of the megacity Shanghai

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Abstract

Regional material flows are strongly influenced by human diets. To diagnose and prevent environmental problems that threaten urban sustainability, the impact of human diet changes with rapid urbanization on the regional nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) flows were quantitatively evaluated. A survey of day-to-day activities was conducted of 450 individuals surveyed (adults over 18 years old) in three representative areas (the central district, the new district, and the suburban/rural areas) of Shanghai, a megacity which has attracted worldwide attention. The lifestyle (eating habits, domestic sanitation, drainage facilities, etc.) pattern was determined and the potential N and P loads from human diets on the environment were calculated. The daily potential nitrogen and phosphorus loads from human diets was 19.36 g-N, 1.80 g-P in the central district, 16.48 g-N, 1.52 g-P in the new district, and 13.04 g-N, 1.20 g-P in the suburban/rural areas of Shanghai. Respondents in all three areas, especially those in the suburban/rural areas reported a preference for increasing the intake of animal-derived as well as processed foods, which means that the potential N and P load from human diets to the environment will increase further. In addition, most respondents consider industrial wastewater discharge as the main cause of eutrophication of waterbodies, though in recent years water pollution caused by domestic wastewater has increased rapidly, but this has received much less attention. Environment-friendly eating habits and improvements in the environmental awareness will be required.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Nagoya University Global Center of Excellence Program “From Earth System Science to Basic and Clinical Environmental Studies” (FY2009-2013) and by the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) “Diagnosis methods and preventive treatment measures for the impact of human activities on urban ecosystems” (2013–2015) sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, D2-1(510) Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan

    Chen Liu & Yoshitsugu Hayashi

  2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urbanization & Ecological Restoration, School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China

    Chunjing Zou

  3. Center for Regional Environment Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan

    Qinxue Wang

  4. Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, 457-4 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto, 603-8047, Japan

    Tetsuzo Yasunari

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  1. Chen Liu
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  2. Chunjing Zou
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  3. Qinxue Wang
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  4. Yoshitsugu Hayashi
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  5. Tetsuzo Yasunari
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Correspondence to Chen Liu.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Liu, C., Zou, C., Wang, Q. et al. Impact assessment of human diet changes with rapid urbanization on regional nitrogen and phosphorus flows—a case study of the megacity Shanghai. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 1905–1914 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2006-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2006-1

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