Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Chemical and Biological Impacts of Roadway Derived Contaminants Entering
Stormwater Retention Systems
S. Lev1, R. Casey1, E. Landa2 and J. Snodgrass1
1Urban Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory, Towson University, Towson, MD2U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division-National Research Program, Reston, VA
Roadway DerivedContaminants(trace metals)
Stormwater
Retention BasinSediments
Biota
Soils
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Baltimore
N
Red Runwatershed
Change in wetland landscape of Red Run Watershed:1987-2000
Study area
10
7
65
11
8
9
4
3
2
XXXXX
Ow
ing
s Mills B
lvd.
MonitoringStation
Watershed scaletransport and
long term storage
TransportAvailability
StorageAmphibian Bioassay
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Field Study– Characterize Cu and Zn speciation in
stormwater runoff– Evaluate road dust as a potential source in
runoff and retention pond sediments– Determine potential availability of metals in
pond sediments– Determine storage of Cu and Zn in pond
Laboratory Bioassay– Determine effects of aged tire debris and Zn2+
on wood frog (Rana sylvatica) eggs and larvae
Project Objectives
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Zn and Cu in Roadway Runoff
Total (Dissolved + Exchangeable) y = 5.1849x + 8.5073
R2 = 0.9046
0
200
400
600
800
0 50 100 150
Cu (mg L-1)
Zn
(mg L-1)
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
16500 g Zn = 73.3 storms 225 g Zn storm-1
73 storms can occur over a 3-4 year periodIndicates a loss of Zn into surrounding environment
6000 g Cu = 140 storms43 g Cu storm-1
140 storms can occur over a 7-9 year periodIndicates some loss of Cu to surrounding environment
Fate of Zn and Cu in Retention Pond
Lost from system
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
0.00
50.00
100.00
150.00
200.00
250.00
300.00
350.00
400.00
Soil Tire ZnCl2
mg k
g -1
Zn Accumulation in Tissues
Hatching success was significant between clutches (P<0.0001) and moderately significant between treatments (P=0.0442)
Significant differences in time to metamorphosis between treatments (P=0.0081). Tire and ZnCl2 were slower than soil, but were not significantly different from each other
Accumulation in tissues was significant between treatments (P<0.0001) and all treatments were significantly different from each other
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Wood Frog Bioassay
10
7
65
11
8
9
4
3
2
XXXXXO
win
gs M
ills Blvd
.
MonitoringStation
Watershed scaletransport and
long term storage
TransportAvailability
StorageAmphibian Bioassay
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Discharge (cfs)
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Research Objectives
- Evaluate metal storage in retention ponds
- Assess dissolved and particulate bound metal transport out of the watershed
1
10
100
1000
0 5 10 15 20 25
Su
spen
ded
Sed
imen
t (m
g/L
)
natural Zn background(high flow)
anthropogenic Zn dominated(low flow)
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
vary through out soil column
roadway derivedmetals
earthworm mixingand vertical transport
soil weathering
physical processes
chemical processes
Bioaccumulation
ingestion
Earthwormdriven chemcialtransformations
excretion
mortality
abiotic processes
abiotic transformations
Earthworm driventransformations
Earthworm
Soil System
digestion
trophictransfer
organic matterpH, soil moisture
mineralogy
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Earthworm driven physical weathering
Earthworm driven chemical weathering
To
tal
Zn
(p
pm
)
50
60
70
80
90M
gC
l 2 e
xtra
ctab
le Z
n (
pp
b)
Control 1 Control 2 Worms 1 Worms 2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
RoadwayDust
Soil
Zn-bearingdust particles
A
B
BA
BA
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
section through earthworm in-situ
Zn
Cu
m-SR-XRF Line Scan
gut
burrow wall
Zn-enriched particles
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
gut
burrow
epidermis
m-SR-XRF Zn Elemental Map
Roadway DerivedContaminants(trace metals)
Stormwater
Retention BasinSediments
Biota
Soils
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
Urban Environmental Biogeochemsitry Laboratory
FundingMaryland Water Resource Research Center
Patuxent Wildlife Research CenterUSGS
NSF-DMR and NSF CHEMTowson University
PeopleKathy Szlavecz (JHU)
Tony Lanzirotti (BNL-NSLS)Kim Camponelli
Judith SimonWhitney CarrollAmanda Shaw
Stephanie AtueyiLiz Wright
Casey JacksonValerie Schmidt
Rob FloraJeff Klupt