New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Partitioning of metals (Fe, Pb, Cu, Zn) in urban run-off from the Kaikorai Valley, Dunedin, New Zealand

LUKE M. MOSLEY
BARRIE M. PEAKE⁺

Chemistry Department
University of Otago
Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand
email (Mosley): lukemosley@yahoo.co.nz
email (Peake): bpeake@alkali.otago.ac.nz

Abstract  Urban run-off from a catchment in Dunedin, New Zealand was sampled and chemically characterised (iron (Fe), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) in total and <0.4 μm fractions, suspended solids, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), dissolved organic carbon, major ions, pH) during base flows, and storm flows from five rainfall events. Fe and Pb were found to be predominantly particle-associated (>0.4 μm) and their concentrations increased significantly at the beginning of storm run-off. In contrast, the majority of Cu and Zn was found in the <0.4 μm fraction before rainfall events but during the initial period of storm flows a significant proportion of Cu and Zn was also present in the >0.4 μm fraction. The results indicate that Cu and Zn may be more bio-available, and more difficult to remove by storm-water treatment, than Pb. The pH level and the concentration of major ions (Ca⁺², Na⁺, Mg⁺², K⁺), dissolved reactive phosphorus, and nitrate generally decreased during storm flows as a result of dilution by rainwater. Concentrations of total N and P often increased during the initial period of storm run-off, which was likely because of wash-off of particulate plant material.

Keywords  storm water; urban; run-off; metals; nutrients; partitioning; contaminants

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2001, Vol. 35: 615-624

0028-8330/01/3503-0615 $7.00 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 2001

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (758K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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