AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA
Abstract View
Contamination of Urban Stormwater Runoff in Syracuse, NY by Previously Deposited Atmospheric Aerosol
CLIFF DAVIDSON, Emily Procopio, Jeremy Tamargo, Syracuse University
Abstract Number: 495 Working Group: Urban Aerosols
Abstract It is well known that runoff from streets, parking lots, and other hardscape can bring contaminants to receiving waters. Some of this runoff is contaminated by tire wear, tailpipe emissions, and material falling into the street from vehicles, as well as by trash lying in the street. However, much of the runoff during major storms comes from the surrounding land and buildings that can cover a sizeable surface area. As a result, aerosol dry deposition on urban surfaces can provide significant amounts of contamination that ends up in waterways.
In this research, we examine chemical contaminants in urban runoff and attempt to identify those constituents that originated from atmospheric deposition. We have collected runoff directly from streets and other impermeable surfaces at selected locations around the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County. We have also targeted two large buildings in downtown Syracuse for collection of runoff, namely the Convention Center which has a large (0.56 hectare) green roof, and the Onondaga County War Memorial Arena which has a similarly sized traditional roof. In both of these buildings, pipes have been added to the stormwater drainage system to enable collection of the water flowing off the roof during rainstorms. Fresh precipitation is sampled simultaneously. Collection is accomplished in real time during the storms, and the samples are analyzed chemically for a variety of constituents.
This research is part of a larger program to examine water management challenges facing urban areas as suburbs expand and increasing land area is covered with impermeable surface material. Water flowing over surfaces contaminated by atmospheric deposition as well as other pollution sources is channeled into storm sewers and ultimately receiving waters which can result in health and ecosystem effects.