Field Performance of an Innovative Downpipe Roof Runoff Treatment System: Effect of Roof Material, Stormwater Characteristics, and System Age on Heavy Metals Removal

IF 3 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Pub Date : 2025-01-24 DOI:10.1007/s11270-025-07766-w

Jessika Souza de Carvalho, Ricardo Bello-Mendoza, Aisling O’Sullivan

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Abstract

Metal roofs are common in urban areas due to their cost-effectiveness and durability, yet stormwater runoff from building roofs is a major contributor of heavy metals to urban waterways. This study investigated the field performance of a downpipe treatment system (DPTS) using waste seashells to remove aluminium, zinc, and copper from roof runoff. First-flush runoff samples were collected before and after treatment during 30 events over 18 months. Results showed that Zn (85–97%) and Cu (59%) in runoff were predominantly dissolved, while Al (71–90%) was mainly particulate. Metal concentrations were largely influenced by the roof material, and weak correlations were observed with climate characteristics. The DPTS effectively removed particulate metals from copper (76 ± 48% Cu, 80 ± 41% Al) and galvanised (75 ± 49% Zn, 74 ± 27% Al) roof runoff. It also removed dissolved metals from Zincalume® (53 ± 32% Zn, 60 ± 30% Al) and Aluminium (96 ± 5% Zn) roof runoff, sustaining performance over 542 days of operation. Metal removal was linked to initial concentrations, partitioning, and metal affinity for the filter media, with precipitation, where metals formed insoluble compounds, and adsorption, where metals bound to the surface of the shells, as potential mechanisms. This study demonstrates that repurposing waste seashells in roof runoff treatment offers a low-cost, scalable and easily retrofittable solution for treating heavy metal pollution at its source, directly supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), and Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11).

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创新落水管屋顶径流处理系统的现场性能：屋顶材料、雨水特性和系统年龄对重金属去除的影响

由于其成本效益和耐用性，金属屋顶在城市地区很常见，但建筑屋顶的雨水径流是城市水道重金属的主要来源。本研究调查了使用废贝壳去除屋顶径流中的铝、锌和铜的下水管处理系统（DPTS）的现场性能。在18个月的30个事件中，在处理前后收集了首次冲洗径流样本。结果表明：径流中Zn（85 ~ 97%）和Cu（59%）以溶解态为主，Al（71 ~ 90%）以颗粒态为主；金属浓度受顶板材料的影响较大，与气候特征的相关性较弱。DPTS有效地去除了铜（76±48% Cu, 80±41% Al）和镀锌（75±49% Zn, 74±27% Al）屋顶径流中的颗粒金属。它还可以去除zincalme®（53±32% Zn, 60±30% Al）和铝（96±5% Zn）屋顶径流中的溶解金属，保持542天的运行性能。金属的去除与过滤介质的初始浓度、分配和金属亲和力有关，其中沉淀（金属形成不溶性化合物）和吸附（金属与壳表面结合）是潜在的机制。本研究表明，在屋顶径流处理中重新利用废弃贝壳为从源头处理重金属污染提供了一种低成本、可扩展且易于改造的解决方案，直接支持可持续发展目标（SDG），特别是清洁水和卫生（SDG 6）、负责任的消费和生产（SDG 12）以及可持续城市和社区（SDG 11）。图形抽象

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来源期刊

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

6.90%

发文量

448

审稿时长

2.6 months

期刊介绍： Water, Air, & Soil Pollution is an international, interdisciplinary journal on all aspects of pollution and solutions to pollution in the biosphere. This includes chemical, physical and biological processes affecting flora, fauna, water, air and soil in relation to environmental pollution. Because of its scope, the subject areas are diverse and include all aspects of pollution sources, transport, deposition, accumulation, acid precipitation, atmospheric pollution, metals, aquatic pollution including marine pollution and ground water, waste water, pesticides, soil pollution, sewage, sediment pollution, forestry pollution, effects of pollutants on humans, vegetation, fish, aquatic species, micro-organisms, and animals, environmental and molecular toxicology applied to pollution research, biosensors, global and climate change, ecological implications of pollution and pollution models. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution also publishes manuscripts on novel methods used in the study of environmental pollutants, environmental toxicology, environmental biology, novel environmental engineering related to pollution, biodiversity as influenced by pollution, novel environmental biotechnology as applied to pollution (e.g. bioremediation), environmental modelling and biorestoration of polluted environments. Articles should not be submitted that are of local interest only and do not advance international knowledge in environmental pollution and solutions to pollution. Articles that simply replicate known knowledge or techniques while researching a local pollution problem will normally be rejected without review. Submitted articles must have up-to-date references, employ the correct experimental replication and statistical analysis, where needed and contain a significant contribution to new knowledge. The publishing and editorial team sincerely appreciate your cooperation. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution publishes research papers; review articles; mini-reviews; and book reviews.