title: Comparative analysis of water quality and toxicity assessment methods for urban highway runoff.
abstract: In this study, comparative analyses of highway runoff samples obtained from seventeen storm events have been conducted between the traditional water quality assessment method and biotoxicity tests, using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and luminous bacteria (Vibrio qinghaiensis. Q67) to provide useful information for ecotoxicity assessment of urban highway runoff. The study results showed that the Nemerow pollution index based on US EPA recommended Criteria Maximum Concentrations (CMC) (as traditional water quality assessment method) had no significant correlation with luminous bacteria acute toxicity test results, while significant correlation has been observed with two indicators of 72 hpf (hours post fertilization) hour hatching rate and 96 hpf abnormality rate from the toxicity test with zebrafish embryos. It is therefore concluded that the level of mixture toxicity of highway runoff could not be adequately measured by the Nemerow assessment method. Moreover, the key pollutants identified from the water quality assessment and from the biotoxicity evaluation were not consistent. For biotoxic effect evaluation of highway runoff, three indexes were found to be sensitive, i.e. 24 hpf lethality and 96 hpf abnormality of zebrafish embryos, as well as the inhibition rate for luminous bacteria Q67. It is therefore recommended that these indexes could be incorporated into the traditional Nemerow method to provide a more reasonable evaluation of the highway runoff quality and ecotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Rui-Hong
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China. Electronic address: leefp@126.com.
authors.forename: Fei-Peng
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Shenyang Urban Planning Design and Research Institute, Shenyang 110004, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Chen
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011891:Rain; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014186:Transportation; D014733:Vibrio; D014872:Water Movements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D060753:Water Quality; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Assessment method; Highway runoff; Toxicity; Water quality