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Rodgers TFM, Spraakman S, Wang Y, Johannessen C, Scholes RC, Giang A. Bioretention Design Modifications Increase the Simulated Capture of Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Trace Organic Compounds. Environ Sci Technol 2024; 58:5500-5511. [PMID: 38483320 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Stormwater rapidly moves trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) from the built environment to the aquatic environment. Bioretention cells reduce loadings of some TrOCs, but they struggle with hydrophilic compounds. Herein, we assessed the potential to enhance TrOC removal via changes in bioretention system design by simulating the fate of seven high-priority stormwater TrOCs (e.g., PFOA, 6PPD-quinone, PAHs) with log KOC values between -1.5 and 6.74 in a bioretention cell. We evaluated eight design and management interventions for three illustrative use cases representing a highway, a residential area, and an airport. We suggest two metrics of performance: mass advected to the sewer network, which poses an acute risk to aquatic ecosystems, and total mass advected from the system, which poses a longer-term risk for persistent compounds. The optimized designs for each use case reduced effluent loadings of all but the most polar compound (PFOA) to <5% of influent mass. Our results suggest that having the largest possible system area allowed bioretention systems to provide benefits during larger events, which improved performance for all compounds. To improve performance for the most hydrophilic TrOCs, an amendment like biochar was necessary; field-scale research is needed to confirm this result. Our results showed that changing the design of bioretention systems can allow them to effectively capture TrOCs with a wide range of physicochemical properties, protecting human health and aquatic species from chemical impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy F M Rodgers
- Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T1Z4, Canada
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Sylvie Spraakman
- Green Infrastructure Design Team, City of Vancouver Engineering Services, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z0B4, Canada
| | - Yanru Wang
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Cassandra Johannessen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec H4B1R6, Canada
| | - Rachel C Scholes
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T1Z4, Canada
| | - Amanda Giang
- Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T1Z4, Canada
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T1Z4, Canada
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Rodgers TM, Wang Y, Humes C, Jeronimo M, Johannessen C, Spraakman S, Giang A, Scholes RC. Bioretention Cells Provide a 10-Fold Reduction in 6PPD-Quinone Mass Loadings to Receiving Waters: Evidence from a Field Experiment and Modeling. Environ Sci Technol Lett 2023; 10:582-588. [PMID: 37455862 PMCID: PMC10339781 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Road runoff to streams and rivers exposes aquatic organisms to complex mixtures of chemical contaminants. In particular, the tire-derived chemical 6PPD-quinone (N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone) is acutely toxic to several species of salmonids, which are critical to fisheries, ecosystems, and Indigenous cultures. We therefore urgently require interventions that can reduce loadings of 6PPD-quinone to salmonid habitats. Herein, we conducted a spike and recovery experiment on a full-scale, mature bioretention cell to assess the efficacy of stormwater green infrastructure technologies in reducing 6PPD-quinone loadings to receiving waters. We then interpreted and extended the results of our experiment using an improved version of the "Bioretention Blues" contaminant transport and fate model. Overall, our results showed that stormwater bioretention systems can effectively mitigate >∼90% of 6PPD-quinone loadings to streams under most "typical" storm conditions (i.e., < 2-year return period). We therefore recommend that stormwater managers and other environmental stewards redirect stormwater away from receiving waters and into engineered green infrastructure systems such as bioretention cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy
F. M. Rodgers
- Institute
of Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Yanru Wang
- Department
of Civil Engineering, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Cassandra Humes
- Green
Infrastructure Design Team, City of Vancouver
Engineering Services, Vancouver V5Z 0B4, Canada
| | - Matthew Jeronimo
- School
of Population and Public Health, University
of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z9, Canada
| | - Cassandra Johannessen
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia
University, Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Sylvie Spraakman
- Green
Infrastructure Design Team, City of Vancouver
Engineering Services, Vancouver V5Z 0B4, Canada
| | - Amanda Giang
- Institute
of Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, University of
British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Rachel C. Scholes
- Department
of Civil Engineering, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Rodgers TFM, Wu L, Gu X, Spraakman S, Passeport E, Diamond ML. Stormwater Bioretention Cells Are Not an Effective Treatment for Persistent and Mobile Organic Compounds (PMOCs). Environ Sci Technol 2022; 56:6349-6359. [PMID: 35499492 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bioretention cells are a stormwater management technology intended to reduce the quantity of water entering receiving bodies. They are also used to reduce contaminant releases, but their performance is unclear for hydrophilic persistent and mobile organic compounds (PMOCs). We developed a novel eight-compartment one-dimensional (1D) multimedia model of a bioretention cell ("Bioretention Blues") and applied it to a spike and recovery experiment conducted on a system near Toronto, Canada, involving PMOC benzotriazole and four organophosphate esters (OPEs). Compounds with (log DOC) (organic carbon-water distribution coefficients) < ∼2.7 advected through the system, resulting in infiltration or underdrain flow. Compounds with log DOC > 3.8 were mostly sorbed to the soil, where subsequent fate depended on transformation. For compounds with 2.7 ≤ log DOC ≤ 3.8, sorption was sensitive to event size and compound-specific diffusion parameters, with more sorption expected for smaller rain events and for compounds with larger diffusion coefficients. Volatilization losses were minimal for all compounds tested. Direct uptake by vegetation also played a negligible role regardless of the compounds' physicochemical properties. Nonetheless, model simulations showed that vegetation could play a role by increasing transpiration, thereby increasing sorption to the bioretention soil and reducing PMOC release. Model results suggest design modifications to bioretention cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy F M Rodgers
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Langping Wu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Xinyao Gu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Sylvie Spraakman
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Elodie Passeport
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E5, Canada
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Miriam L Diamond
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E5, Canada
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B1, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B1, Canada
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Abstract
Bioretention systems, which mimic natural hydrology and reduce volume of stormwater runoff, are a preferred solution for meeting water balance objectives, but lack of knowledge about the long-term performance of these systems hinders their wider adoption. This study was a field survey of mature (>3 years and up to 10 years post-construction) bioretention cells across Ontario, Canada. The survey involved visual inspections, determination of soil physical parameters and soil-water interaction parameters, infiltration capacity testing and synthetic drawdown testing. Results indicate that infiltration capacity remains above the recommended minimum of 25 mm/hr, likely due to high content soils and development of soil structure due to biological factors over time. The drawdown times for three sites ranged from 5 minutes to 6 hours, much less than the maximum allowed drawdown time of 24-48 hours. Ksat (saturated hydraulic conductivity) was only moderately negatively correlated with age, and where data existed on KSat at the beginning of operation, KSat improved for six out of nine sites. Soil-water interaction properties more closely resembled loam soils than sandy soils, which may be due to the development of a soil structure over time. We recommend conducting visual inspections regularly over infiltration capacity testing for quick determination of maintenance needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Spraakman
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George St., Toronto M5S 1A4, Canada E-mails: ;
| | - J A P Drake
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George St., Toronto M5S 1A4, Canada E-mails: ;
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Gu X, Rodgers TFM, Spraakman S, Van Seters T, Flick R, Diamond ML, Drake J, Passeport E. Trace Organic Contaminant Transfer and Transformation in Bioretention Cells: A Field Tracer Test with Benzotriazole. Environ Sci Technol 2021; 55:12281-12290. [PMID: 34495667 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c01062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bioretention cells can effectively infiltrate stormwater runoff and partly remove conventional water contaminants. A field tracer injection experiment in a conventionally designed bioretention cell was used to investigate the fate of benzotriazole, a model trace organic contaminant, during and between runoff events. Moderate (29%) benzotriazole load reductions were measured during the 6 h long injection experiment. The detection of 1-methyl benzotriazole, hydroxy benzotriazole, and methoxy benzotriazole provided in situ evidence of some rapid benzotriazole microbial transformation during the tracer test and more importantly between the events. The detection of benzotriazole alanine and benzotriazole acetyl alanine also showed fast benzotriazole phytotransformation to amino acid conjugates during the tracer test and suggests further transformation of phytotransformation products between events. These data provide conclusive full-scale evidence of benzotriazole microbial and phytotransformation in bioretention cells. Non-target chemical analysis revealed the presence of a diverse range of trace organic contaminants in urban runoff and exiting the bioretention cell, including pesticides and industrial, household, and pharmaceutical compounds. We have demonstrated the in situ potential of urban green infrastructure such as bioretention cells to eliminate polar trace organic contaminants from stormwater. However, targeted design and operation strategies, for example, hydraulic control and the use of soil amendments, should be incorporated for improved bioretention cell performance for such compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyao Gu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Timothy F M Rodgers
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Sylvie Spraakman
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A4, Canada
| | - Tim Van Seters
- Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, 101 Exchange Avenue, Vaughan, Ontario L4K 5R6, Canada
| | - Robert Flick
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Miriam L Diamond
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, 22 Ursula Franklin Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E8, Canada
| | - Jennifer Drake
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A4, Canada
| | - Elodie Passeport
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A4, Canada
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