Statistical summary of selected physical, chemical, and toxicity characteristics and estimates of annual constituent loads in urban stormwater, Maricopa County, Arizona

Fossum, K.D.; O'Day, Christie M.; Wilson, Barbara J.; Monical, Jim E.

doi:10.3133/wri014088

Cited by 8 publications

References 12 publications

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Chemical Characteristics of Urban Stormwater Sediments and Implications for Environmental Management, Maricopa County, Arizona

Parker

2000

Environmental Management

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/ Investigations of the chemical characteristics of urban stormwater sediments in the rapidly growing Phoenix metropolitan area of Maricopa County, Arizona, showed that the inorganic component of these sediments generally reflects geologic background values. Some concentrations of metals were above background values, especially cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, indicating an anthropogenic contribution of these elements to the sediment chemistry. Concentrations, however, were not at levels that would require soil remediation according to guidelines of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Arsenic concentrations generally were above recommended values for remediation at a few sites, but these concentrations seem to reflect geologic rather than anthropogenic factors. Several organochlorine compounds no longer in use were ubiquitous in the Phoenix area, although concentrations generally were low. Chlordane, DDT and its decay products DDE and DDD, dieldrin, toxaphene, and PCBs were found at almost all sites sampled, although some of the pesticides in which these compounds are found have been banned for almost 30 years. A few sites showed exceptionally high concentrations of organochlorine compounds.On the basis of published guidelines, urban stormwater sediments do not appear to constitute a major regional environmental problem with respect to the chemical characteristics investigated here. At individual sites, high concentrations of organic compounds-chlordane, dieldrin, PCBs, and toxaphene-may require some attention. The possible environmental hazard presented by low-level organochlorine contamination is not addressed in this paper; however, high levels of toxicity in urban sediments are difficult to explain. Sediment toxicity varied significantly with time, which indicates that these tests should be evaluated carefully before they are used for management decisions.

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Chemical Characteristics of Urban Stormwater Sediments and Implications for Environmental Management, Maricopa County, Arizona

Parker

2000

Environmental Management

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Nitrogen Balance for the Central Arizona-Phoenix (CAP) Ecosystem

et al. 2001

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Chemistry and toxicity of urban sediments, Maricopa County, Arizona, data and summary statistics

Ingersoll¹,

Parker²,

Fossum³

1995

Open-File Report

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Sediment samples were collected from 24 stormwater retention and detention basins that drain land used for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes in Maricopa County and were analyzed to determine the chemistry and toxicity of pollutants associated with urban stormwater runoff. Samples were collected between January and November 1994. Summary statistics are presented for pH and soil moisture, concentrations of selected inorganic and organic constituents, and concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in sediments associated with each type of land use. Acute toxicity tests were done on sediment samples using the amphipod Hyalella azteca. Survival rates ranged from 0 (zero) to 95 percent. The results of a comparative time-series analysis on samples from two residential sites collected during a 5-month period also are presented. Background concentrations of inorganic constituents in sediments were determined for six basins, and discrete samples were collected to characterize the spatial variability of constituent concentrations in one residential basin. The effect of sieving on sediment toxicity was determined by testing whole and sieved samples. Survival rates ranged from 0 (zero) to 42 percent for sieved samples and 14 to 75 percent for unsieved samples.

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Statistical summary of selected physical, chemical, and toxicity characteristics and estimates of annual constituent loads in urban stormwater, Maricopa County, Arizona

Cited by 8 publications

References 12 publications

Chemical Characteristics of Urban Stormwater Sediments and Implications for Environmental Management, Maricopa County, Arizona

Chemical Characteristics of Urban Stormwater Sediments and Implications for Environmental Management, Maricopa County, Arizona

Nitrogen Balance for the Central Arizona-Phoenix (CAP) Ecosystem

Chemistry and toxicity of urban sediments, Maricopa County, Arizona, data and summary statistics

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