Understanding nutrient build-up on urban road surfaces

rebecca.killalea@canberra.edu.au on 01 Mar 2022
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Author(s)
Miguntanna, N. P., Goonetilleke, A., Egodowatta, P., & Kokot, S.
Year
2010
Title
Understanding nutrient build-up on urban road surfaces
Source
Journal of Environmental Sciences
DOI
10.1016/S1001-0742(09)60181-9
Volume
22
Issue
6
Pages
806-812
ISSN/ISBN
1001-0742
Abstract

This paper discusses the outcomes of a research project on nutrients build-up on urban road surfaces. Nutrient build-up was investigated on road sites belonging to residential, industrial and commercial land use. Collected build-up samples were separated into five particle size ranges and were tested for total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and sub species of nutrients, namely, NO2 -, NO3 -, TKN and PO4 3-. Multivariate analytical techniques were used to analyse the data and to develop detailed understanding on build-up. Data analysis revealed that the solids loads on urban road surfaces are highly influenced by factors such as land use, antecedent dry period and traffic volume. However, the nutrient build-up process was found to be independent of the type of land use. It was solely dependent on the particle size of solids build-up. Most of the nutrients were associated with the particle size range <150 μm. Therefore, the removal of particles below 150 μm from road surfaces is of importance for the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from road surface solids build-up. It is also important to consider the differences in the composition of nitrogen and phosphorus build-up in the context of designing effective stormwater quality mitigation strategies.

Evidence

Cause Effect Response measure type Habitat Country Modified
Sediment quality - other
Particle size
Sediment quality - nutrients (phosphorus)
Highest total phosphorus load is associated with the particle size 75 to 150 micrometres for industrial and commercial road surfaces.
Mean difference Artificial Australia 01-Mar-2022
Sediment quality - other
Particle size
Sediment quality - nutrients (nitrogen)
Highest total nitrogen load is associated with the particle size 75 to 150 micrometres for all road surface types.
Mean difference Artificial Australia 01-Mar-2022
Sediment quality - other
Particle size
Water quality - organic matter
Total organic carbon. Highest amount of TOC was correlated with a particle size 75-150micrometers. Most TOC is associated with particle sizes less than 150micrometers.
Mean difference Artificial Australia 01-Mar-2022
Land use/land cover - urban (Change)
Type of land use - industrial, residential, commercial
Sediment quality - other (Change)
Total solids load. This study found the total solids load collected from the road was different for different land uses. TS load on residential road surface was lowest and TS load on commercial road was highest.
Mean difference Artificial Australia 01-Mar-2022