Sustainable oil and grease removal from synthetic stormwater runoff using bench-scale bioretention studies.
One of the principal components of the contaminant load in urban stormwater runoff is oil and grease (O&G) pollution, resulting from vehicle emissions. A mulch layer was used as a contaminant trap to remove O&G (dissolved and particulate-associated naphthalene, dissolved toluene, and dissolved motor oil hydrocarbons) from a synthetic runoff during a bench-scale infiltration study. Approximately 80 to 95% removal of all contaminants from synthetic runoff was found via sorption and filtration. Subsequently, approximately 90% of the sorbed naphthalene, toluene, oil, and particulate-associated naphthalene was biodegraded within approximately 3, 4, 8, and 2 days after the event, respectively, based on decreases in contaminant concentrations coupled with increases of microbial populations. These results indicate the effectiveness and sustainability of placing a thin layer of mulch on the surface of a bioretention facility for reducing O&G pollution from urban stormwater runoff.
Environmental Engineering Program and Water Resources Research Center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Eunyoung
E
Hong
Eric A
EA
Seagren
Allen P
AP
Davis
D000327:Adsorption; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002947:Cities; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis*; D011891:Rain; D012987:Soil; D013997:Time Factors; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods; D014872:Water Movements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D010578:Petroleum; D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical