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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

VERTICAL LEACHING OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN ROAD DITCHES

VERTIKAL SPRIDNING AV ORGANISKA FOERORENINGAR I VAEGDIKEN

There is a need and an interest to obtain more knowledge about the different organic contaminants that are emitted into road ditches. These contaminants have previously been neglected because the concentrations emitted to the environment are low. Many of the organic contaminants have the ability to accumulate in food webs, and many of them are also suspected hormone disrupters. Organic pollutants in road environments are mainly due to vehicles and road wear. The purpose of this Master thesis is to highlight different organic pollutants occurrence and possible vertical leaching in road ditches. The chosen ditches were located along the highway E20 nearby Partille and Jonsered. The locations were chosen because vehicles heavily use the road and the soils have interesting geological conditions, clay in Partilie and till in Jonsered. Depending on the composition of the soil at the drilling holes the samples were taken in different depth under ground level. In Jonsered, water and sediment samples were also collected for analysis. Sediment from the Jaernbrott storm water pond was also analysed to get guidance for the contaminants to be analysed further in the road ditches. Reference samples were also collected in soil and groundwater in central Gothenburg. The organic compounds analysed were PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), phthalates, screening for volatiles and semi-volatile organic compounds, MTBE (methyl terbutyl ether), brominated flame-retardants, nonylphenol and phenol. For sediment and soil samples loss of ignition was also made and for the water samples DOC and TOC (total organic carbon). In the sediment at the Jaernbrott storm water pond almost all of the analysed organic pollutants were detected in high concentrations. In the samples analysed in the soil from ditches only a few of the compounds were detected. In Partille and Jonsered the concentrations of organic contaminants in the ditches were high enough to make concentration profiles for the sum of semi-volatile hydrocarbons, which indicate that organic contaminants are able to spread vertically in the soil in the ditches. At the northern sample spot in Partille, concentration profiles were made for 16 specific PAH. Some of the PAH were even detected at a depth of one meter. At this site the concentration of the carcinogenic PAH was higher then the Swedish EPA risk value for sensitive use of soil. In the other ditches only a few PAH were identified. Phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene were the PAH that were detected in the highest concentrations, and indicate rubber tires as a likely source of emission. The detected PAH are only a small part of the total amount of detected organic contaminants, the rest are still unidentified compounds with unknown environmental effects. (A)

  • Availability:
  • Corporate Authors:

    CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLA, VATTEN, MILJOE, TRANSPORT

    GOETEBORG,   Sweden  SE-412 96
  • Authors:
    • CARLSSON, E
    • JOHANSSON, T
  • Publication Date: 2002

Language

  • Swedish

Media Info

  • Features: References;
  • Pagination: 75p + a p.
  • Serial:
    • EXAMENSARBETE
    • Issue Number: 2002:2
    • Publisher: LULEAA TEKNISKA UNIVERSITET, INST FOER SAMHAELLSBYGGNADSTEKNIK, AVD FOER TRAFIKTEKNIK
    • ISSN: 1402-1617

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00967365
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
  • Files: ITRD
  • Created Date: Jan 13 2004 12:00AM