What is it about?
Heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the most toxic chemical pollutants present in urban stormwater. Consequently, urban stormwater reuse is constrained due to the human health risk posed by these pollutants. This study developed a scientifically robust approach to assess the risk to human health posed by HMs and PAHs in urban stormwater in order to enhance its reuse.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
From recent years, urban stormwater is being increasingly recognized as an alternative water resource which can be used for recreational and potable purposes to meet the ever increasing urban water demand. However, past research studies have noted that the concentrations of heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in stormwater, which are primarily contributed by traffic activities can exceed the corresponding guideline thresholds specified for recreational and potable water, thus posing a potential risk to human health through reuse
Perspectives
The main objectives of this research study were: (1) to create a mathematical approach to quantitatively assess the risk from urban stormwater generated from a catchment area; (2) to develop a reliable and accurate approach to identify the highly polluted areas based on risk assessment of HMs and PAHs present in urban stormwater generated at catchment scale in order to underpin the effective management of the identified risk.
Professor Ashantha Goonetilleke
Queensland University of Technology
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Catchment scale assessment of risk posed by traffic generated heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, October 2017, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.06.073.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
