Detection and Removal of Priority Substances and Emerging Pollutants from Stormwater: Case Study of the Kołobrzeska Collector, Gdańsk, Poland

Abstract

Progressive urban development affects environmental balance and disrupts the hydrologic cycle, in which rainfall plays a significant role. Since rainwater is considered a valuable resource of the environment, many technical solutions are implemented that enable effective rainwater management. On the other hand, stormwater runoff from urban areas contains numerous (also toxic) substances, and therefore should be properly treated. In this study, a multistage constructed wetland (MCW) pilot installation was used to remove selected groups of priority substances and emerging pollutants from rainwater discharged from the urbanized catchment of the Kołobrzeska stormwater collector in Gdańsk, Poland. The obtained results show that rainwater runoff was characterized by a variable concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Hg), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene) and microplastics. Depending on the hydraulic load of the bed, the reduction efficiency for heavy metals ranged from 26.19 to 100%, and for microplastics from 77.16 to 100%, whereas for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons it was consistently high, and equaled 100%.

Influence of COD in Toxic Industrial Wastewater from a Chemical Concern on Nitrification Efficiency

“…Significant factors limiting or even preventing the course of nitrification in the biological treatment system of the Municipal and Industrial Sewage Treatment Plant in Oświęcim are inhibitors flowing in with industrial sewage and high COD values. The list of organic and inorganic compounds having a negative effect on nitrifying bacteria is very long and includes a number of substances for which the degree of inhibition has been determined [ 6 , 13 , 17 , 19 , 20 ]. Most of these compounds were present in the sewage we analyzed.…”

“…Municipal and industrial wastewater is a carrier of many dangerous organisms and substances, which include parasites and pathogenic organisms [ 1 , 2 , 3 ], toxic substances and compounds disturbing the natural biological balance in treated sewage receivers by increasing the saprobicity and eutrophication of these waters [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Such wastewater can be neutralized by mechanical–biological or mechanical–biological–chemical methods of treatment with the use of activated sludge.…”

Rainwater Quality Analysis for Its Potential Recovery: A Case Study on Its Usage for Swimming Pools in Poland

“…Other compounds analysed were: atrazine, pentachlorophenol (PCP), chlorpyrifos, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), prometon, simazine, carbaryl, nonylphenol (NP), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). Studies of CECs' occurrence in Poland [47] reported that rainwater runoff was characterized by variable concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene) and microplastics. Stuk-Sokolowska et al [48] focused on low molecule benzotriazoles (BTRs) in urban road rainwater in Poland, showing that concentrations of BTRs in rainwater ranged from 4.5 µg/mL to 26.4 µg/mL.…”

The Source, Transport, and Removal of Chemical Elements in Rainwater in China

“…Shenzhen started using a drainage water supply system for water pollution treatment 20 years ago [150]. Using a multistage constructed wetland in Poland, heavy metals and microplastics were removed to varying degrees with the hydraulic loading of the bed [151]. In sum, the construction of rainwater storage tanks plays an important role in the protection of the urban water environment.…”