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Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Design and Construction of an Urban Runoff Research Facility
Published on: August 8, 2014
Metals in surface specific urban runoff in Beijing.
Md Tariqul Islam Shajib1, Hans Christian Bruun Hansen2, Tao Liang3
1Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research (SDC), China.
Urban runoff in Beijing is heavily polluted with metals, primarily from traffic and atmospheric deposition. Concentrations are highest at the start of rain events and after dry periods, posing environmental risks.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Urban Hydrology
- Pollution Control
Background:
- Urban stormwater runoff is a significant source of metal pollution.
- Metals in urban runoff pose environmental risks to aquatic ecosystems and water resources.
- Understanding metal fractions and sources is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate metal concentrations (dissolved and particulate) in Beijing's urban runoff.
- To analyze temporal variations during rain events and the influence of antecedent dry days.
- To assess the pollution status and identify sources of metals in urban runoff.
Main Methods:
- Collection and analysis of 155 urban runoff samples from various surfaces (trafficked areas, roofs, parking lots) in Beijing.
- Analysis of dissolved and particulate metal fractions.
- Statistical analyses including cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and Pearson's correlation coefficient.
- Calculation of geo-accumulation and pollution indices.
Main Results:
- Metals were predominantly in the particulate fraction (68-96%) in trafficked areas.
- Metal concentrations peaked at the beginning of rain events and increased with longer antecedent dry periods.
- Concentrations of most metals in trafficked areas exceeded Chinese and European standards, with Antimony (Sb) being exceptionally high.
- Vehicular activities were identified as the primary source for most metals in trafficked areas, while atmospheric deposition influenced roof runoff.
Conclusions:
- Beijing's urban runoff is moderately to heavily polluted with metals, posing a significant environmental risk.
- Effective stormwater management and pollution control strategies are needed.
- Differentiating metal sources (traffic vs. atmospheric deposition) is key for targeted interventions.
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