New Approach to Evaluate Pollutant Removal by Storm-Water Treatment Devices
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 4
Abstract
A methodology was developed to monitor and evaluate the removal of solids and associated constituents by a nutrient separating baffle box (NSBB) storm-water treatment device treating runoff from a 4.3 ha (10.6 acre) residential watershed discharging into the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. The NSBB was monitored over a 359-day time period using autosamplers to quantify water column removal during runoff events, and by quantifying and analyzing solids that accumulated within the NSBB. Flow composited influent and effluent samples were collected to represent water column performance. Event mean concentration (EMC) reduction was moderate (mean: 17%) and variable (range: −39 to 68%) for suspended solids, and negative for nitrogen, phosphorus, fecal coliforms chromium, and copper. The mass of solids that accumulated in bottom chambers and in a strainer screen was quantified and analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A quantitative evaluative framework was devised to estimate the total pollutant mass removal by NSBB, which consisted of the summation of the separately calculated mass removals for water column, bottom chamber material, and strainer screen material. The water column accounted for only 4% of total solids that accumulated in the NSBB, which was equally divided between bottom chamber and strainer screen. Removal of nitrogen, phosphorus, and metals could be accounted for only by considering mass accumulations. Results suggest that overall assessment of pollutant removal by NSBB must be cognizant of the materials not captured by typical autosamplers: larger size sediment particles, large floating and suspended matter, and the pollutants associated with these materials. Using water column EMCs as the sole measure of performance significantly underestimated loading reduction of storm-water constituents by the NSBB. The monitoring and evaluative methodology applied to the NSBB may be applicable to load reduction evaluations for other storm-water treatment devices with a similar function.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The writer acknowledges the support of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Rockledge City, Fla. Field monitoring was conducted by Sutron Corporation.
References
ASCE. (2009). “Overview of performance by BMP category and common pollutant type.” International stormwater best management practices (BMP) database, ⟨http://www.bmpdatabase.org/⟩ (March 3, 2009).
ASTM. (2006). “Standard practice for classification of soils for engineering purposes (Unified Soil Classification System).” ASTM D2487-06e1, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa., ⟨http://www.astm.org/⟩ (Feb. 21, 2009).
ASTM. (2009a). “Standard test method for density of soil in place by the drive-cylinder method.” ASTM D2937-04, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa.
ASTM. (2009b). “Standard test methods for moisture, ash, and organic matter of peat and other organic soils.” ASTM D2974-07a, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa.
ASTM. (2009c). “Standard test method for particle-size analysis of soils.” ASTM D422-63, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa.
Badin, A., Faure, P., Bedell, J., and Delolme, C. (2008). “Distribution of organic pollutants and natural organic matter in urban storm water sediments as a function of grain size.” Sci. Total Environ., 403(1–3), 178–187.
Baun, A., Eriksson, E., Ledin, A., and Mikkelsen, P. (2006). “A methodology for ranking and hazard identification of xenobiotic organic compounds in urban stormwater.” Sci. Total Environ., 370(1), 29–38.
Brown, D., Butler, D., Orman, N., and Davies, J. (1996). “Gross solids transport in small diameter sewers.” Water Sci. Technol., 33, 25–30.
Brown, J., and Peake, B. (2006). “Sources of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban stormwater runoff.” Sci. Total Environ., 359(1–3), 145–155.
Characklis, G., Dilts, M., Simmons, O., Likirdopulos, C., Krometis, L., and Sobsey, M. (2005). “Microbial partitioning to settleable particles in stormwater.” Water Res., 39(9), 1773–1782.
Clark, S., Christina, Y., Pitt, R., Roenning, C., and Treese, D. (2009). “Peristaltic pump autosamplers for solids measurement in stormwater runoff.” Water Environment Research, 81(2), 192–200.
Clark, S., and Siu, S. (2008). “Measuring solids concentration in stormwater runoff: Comparison of analytical methods.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 42(2), 511–516.
Davis, B., and Birch, G. (2009). “Catchment-wide assessment of the cost-effectiveness of stormwater remediation measures in urban areas.” Environ. Sci. Policy, 12(1), 84–91.
Durand, C., Ruban, V., and Amblès, A. (2005). “Characterisation of complex organic matter present in contaminated sediments from water retention ponds.” J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 73(1), 17–28.
Herngren, L., Goonetilleke, A., and Ayoko, G. (2005). “Understanding heavy metal and suspended solids relationships in urban stormwater using simulated rainfall.” J. Environ. Manage., 76(2), 149–158.
Hwang, H., and Foster, G. (2006). “Characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban stormwater runoff flowing into the tidal Anacostia River, Washington, DC, USA.” Environ. Pollut., 140(3), 416–426.
Jartun, M., Ottesen, R., Steinnes, E., and Volden, T. (2008). “Runoff of particle bound pollutants from urban impervious surfaces studied by analysis of sediments from stormwater traps.” Sci. Total Environ., 396(2–3), 147–163.
Kayhanian, M., Rasa, E., Vichare, A., and Leatherbarrow, J. (2008). “Utility of suspended solid measurements for storm-water runoff treatment.” J. Environ. Eng., 134(9), 712–721.
Kayhanian, M., Young, T., and Stenstrom, M. (2005). “Limitation of current solids measurements in stormwater runoff.” Stormwater, July–August.
Kim, J., and Sansalone, J. (2008). “Event-based size distributions of particulate matter transported during urban rainfall-runoff events.” Water Res., 42(10–11), 2756–2768.
Kim, L., Kayhanian, M., and Stenstrom, M. (2004). “Event mean concentration and loading of litter from highways during storms.” Sci. Total Environ., 330(1–3), 101–113.
Kim, L., Kayhanian, M., Zoh, K., and Stenstrom, M. (2005). “Modeling of highway stormwater runoff.” Sci. Total Environ., 348(1–3), 1–18.
Lau, S., Han, Y., Kang, J., Kayhanian, M., and Stenstrom, M. (2009). “Characteristics of highway stormwater runoff in Los Angeles: Metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.” Water Environ. Res., 81(3), 308–318.
Lee, H., Swamikannu, X., Radulescu, D., Kim, S., and Stenstrom, M. (2007). “Design of stormwater monitoring programs.” Water Res., 41(18), 4186–4196.
Li, Y., Lau, S., Kayhanian, M., and Stenstrom, M. (2005). “Particle size distribution in highway runoff.” J. Environ. Eng., 131(9), 1267–1276.
Murakami, M., Fujita, M., Furumai, H., Kasuga, I., and Kurisu, F. (2009). “Sorption behavior of heavy metal species by soakaway sediment receiving urban road runoff from residential and heavily trafficked areas.” J. Hazard. Mater., 164(2–3), 707–712.
Murakami, M., Nakajima, F., and Furumai, H. (2004). “Modelling of runoff behaviour of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from roads and roofs.” Water Res., 38(20), 4475–4483.
Roesner, L., Pruden, A., and Kidder, E. (2007). “Improved protocol for classification and analysis of stormwater-borne solids.” Rep. No. WERF 04-SW-4, Water Environment Research Foundation, Alexandria, Va.
Rushton, B., England, G., and Smith, D. (2007). “Proposed guidelines for monitoring stormwater gross solids.” Proc., World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, ASCE, Reston, Va.
Sansalone, J., and Ying, G. (2008). “Partitioning and granulometric distribution of metal leachate from urban traffic dry deposition particulate matter subject to acidic rainfall and runoff retention.” Water Res., 42(15), 4146–4162.
Settle, S., Goonetilleke, A., and Ayoko, G. (2007). “Determination of surrogate indicators for phosphorus and solids in urban stormwater: Application of multivariate data analysis techniques.” Water, Air, Soil Pollut., 182, 149–161.
Smith, D. (2009). “A new methodology to evaluate pollutant removal by gross solids separation devices.” Proc., World Environmental and Water Resources Conf., ASCE, Reston, Va.
Strecker, E., Quigley, M., Urbonas, B., Jones, J., and Clary, J. (2001). “Determining urban storm water BMP effectiveness.” J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage., 127(3), 144–149.
Taylor, G., Fletcher, T., Wong, T., Breen, P., and Duncan, H. (2005). “Nitrogen composition in urban runoff—Implications for stormwater management.” Water Res., 39(10), 1982–1989.
U.S. EPA. (2001). “Methods for the collection, storage and manipulation of sediments for chemical and toxicological analysis.” Rep. No. EPA-823-B-01-002, Office of Science and Technology, Washington, D.C.
U.S. EPA. (2002). “Urban stormwater BMP Performance monitoring a guidance manual for meeting the national stormwater BMP database requirements.” Rep. No. EPA-821-B-02-001, Office of Water, Washington, D.C.
Zhu, L., Chen, Y., and Zhou, R. (2008). “Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water, sediment and soil in drinking water resource of Zhejiang Province, China.” J. Hazard. Mater., 150(2), 308–316.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 4 • April 2010
Pages: 371 - 380
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 17, 2009
Accepted: Oct 5, 2009
Published online: Mar 15, 2010
Published in print: Apr 2010
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.