title: Process variability of pollutant build-up on urban road surfaces.
abstract: Knowledge of the pollutant build-up process is a key requirement for developing stormwater pollution mitigation strategies. In this context, process variability is a concept which needs to be understood in-depth. Analysis of particulate build-up on three road surfaces in an urban catchment confirmed that particles <150 μm and >150 μm have characteristically different build-up patterns, and these patterns are consistent over different field conditions. Three theoretical build-up patterns were developed based on the size-fractionated particulate build-up patterns, and these patterns explain the variability in particle behavior and the variation in particle-bound pollutant load and composition over the antecedent dry period. Behavioral variability of particles <150 μm was found to exert the most significant influence on the build-up process variability. As characterization of process variability is particularly important in stormwater quality modeling, it is recommended that the influence of behavioral variability of particles <150 μm on pollutant build-up should be specifically addressed. This would eliminate model deficiencies in the replication of the build-up process and facilitate the accounting of the inherent process uncertainty, and thereby enhance the water quality predictions.
authors.affiliation: Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, 4001 Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: b.mahappukankanamalage@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Buddhi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wijesiri
authors.affiliation: Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, 4001 Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: p.egodawatta@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Prasanna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Egodawatta
authors.affiliation: Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, 4001 Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: james.mcgree@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGree
authors.affiliation: Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, 4001 Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: a.goonetilleke@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ashantha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goonetilleke
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011891:Rain; D014186:Transportation; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Particle behavior; Particle size; Pollutant build-up; Stormwater pollutant processes; Stormwater quality