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Characterization of urban runoff pollution between dissolved and particulate phases
Zhang Wei1, Li Simin, Tang Fengbing
1School of Urban Construction, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, Hebei 056038, China. zhangwei1981@hebeu.edu.cn
Thescientificworldjournal
|August 13, 2013
Summary
Urban runoff pollution differs between dissolved and particulate phases, with road runoff showing higher concentrations than roof runoff. Total suspended solids and dissolved chemical oxygen demand can serve as indicators for specific pollutant phases.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Urban Hydrology
- Water Quality Management
Background:
- Effective urban stormwater management requires detailed characterization of runoff pollution.
- Understanding the partitioning of pollutants into dissolved and particulate phases is crucial for targeted mitigation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize urban runoff pollution by analyzing dissolved and particulate phases across different urban catchment types.
- To evaluate the Average Event Mean Concentration (AEMC) of pollutants in various phases and land uses.
- To identify potential surrogate parameters for monitoring urban runoff quality.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring 12 rainfall events across five typical urban catchments.
- Analyzing pollutant concentrations in both dissolved and particulate phases.
- Calculating Average Event Mean Concentration (AEMC) for various pollutants.
- Statistical analysis to identify correlations between different pollutant phases and land uses.
Main Results:
- Urban road runoff exhibited higher AEMC values for pollutants in both dissolved and particulate phases compared to urban roof runoff.
- The proportion of dissolved solids, nitrogen, and phosphorus in total loads ranged from 26.19%-30.91%, 83.29%-90.51%, and 61.54-68.09%, respectively.
- Pollutant concentrations peaked initially but decreased sharply, with road pollutants sometimes peaking later in rainfall events.
- Strong correlations were observed among pollutants in different phases.
Conclusions:
- Total suspended solids (TSS) can effectively surrogate particulate matter in both road and roof runoff.
- Dissolved chemical oxygen demand (DCOD) is a reliable surrogate for dissolved matter in roof runoff.
- Differentiated management strategies for road and roof runoff may be necessary due to distinct pollution characteristics.
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