Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119047
Document author version
Title (Primary) A look down the drain: Identification of dissolved and particle bound organic pollutants in urban runoff waters and sediments
Author Fuchte, H.E.; Beck, N.; Bieg, E.; Bayer, V.J.; Achten, C.; Krauss, M. ORCID logo ; Schäffer, A.; Smith, K.E.C.
Source Titel Environmental Pollution
Year 2022
Department WANA
Volume 302
Page From art. 119047
Language englisch
Topic T9 Healthy Planet
Keywords Urban street runoff; Polar organic micropollutants; Non EPA PAH; Alkylated-PAH-BPCA-Indices; Tire wear; Passive sampling
Abstract Urban runoff contains a range of organic micropollutants which, if not removed during wastewater treatment, pose a risk to aquatic environments. These mixtures are complex and often site-specific. Street drains provide an ideal sampling point given they collect the runoff from local and defined catchments. In this study, runoff was collected and sampled in five street drains located in a medium sized town in Germany. A specially constructed trap was used to collect the particulate and total water fractions of the runoff. In addition, passive samplers were deployed to determine the freely dissolved concentrations of selected compounds in the runoff. In sum, 187 polar organic micropollutants could be quantified using LC-HRMS. Thirty of these could only be detected by the use of passive samplers. Traffic derived pollutants such as corrosion inhibitors, rubber- and plastic additives, but also pollutants of industrial origin were strongly represented with sum median concentrations of 100 μg/kg dry weight (DW) in the sediment and 400 ng/L in the water fraction. Several of these substances are of concern due to their environmental persistence and mobility. Perfluorinated compounds and pesticides occurred at lower levels of several μg/kg DW sediment or ng/L water. A number of substances including pharmaceuticals, sweeteners and stimulants indicated domestic wastewater influences. Furthermore, a total of 62 parent and alkylated PAHs were quantified by GC-MS and contributed 30–70% to the sum concentrations of the micropollutants. Non-EPA PAHs dominated the carcinogenic PAH toxicity. The increased PAH alkylation indices (0.7–0.9) showed these primarily came from combustion sources. The runoff particles were additionally microscopically characterized, and correlations were found between the rubber particle counts and the PAH alkylation-index as well as the levels of 2-(methylthio)benzothiazole, a marker compound for tire leaching.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=25832
Fuchte, H.E., Beck, N., Bieg, E., Bayer, V.J., Achten, C., Krauss, M., Schäffer, A., Smith, K.E.C. (2022):
A look down the drain: Identification of dissolved and particle bound organic pollutants in urban runoff waters and sediments
Environ. Pollut. 302 , art. 119047 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119047