Issue 8, 2007

Modelling heavy metal fluxes from traffic into the environment

Abstract

A new method is presented which allows emissions of traffic into the environment to be described as a function of road distance. The method distinguishes different types of emissions (runoff, spray and drift), which are determined by measurements and mass balances of a specified road section. The measurement of two-dimensional pollutant concentrations in the road shoulder is an important part of the method. In a case study performed at Burgdorf, Switzerland, the method was applied to the determination of the spatial distribution of heavy metal emissions. The results show that between 36 and 65% of the heavy metals Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn are present in runoff and spray and between 35 and 64% are dispersed diffusely in the environment (defined as drift). The runoff infiltrates into the vegetated road shoulder up to a distance of approx. 1 m from the road. The distribution of spray shows a maximum at 1 m and decreases steadily up to a distance of 5 m. This information can serve as a basis for the quantitative evaluation of road-runoff treatment scenarios. Although the results of the Burgdorf study are case-specific, several general guidelines for the reduction of traffic-related emissions can be derived from it.

Graphical abstract: Modelling heavy metal fluxes from traffic into the environment

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 Mar 2007
Accepted
14 May 2007
First published
13 Jun 2007

J. Environ. Monit., 2007,9, 847-854

Modelling heavy metal fluxes from traffic into the environment

M. Steiner, M. Boller, T. Schulz and W. Pronk, J. Environ. Monit., 2007, 9, 847 DOI: 10.1039/B703509H

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