Effect of rainfall and antecedent dry periods on heavy metal loading of sediments on urban roads

Abstract

Concentration and mass loadings of heavy metals adsorbed on sediment from an urban road surface in Beijing were investigated. The buildup and washoff processes are discussed. Results showed that masses of sediments smaller than 500 μm in diameter varied from 11.2 to 25.5 g/m². On average, sediments smaller than 125€μm accounted for 42.9% of sediments smaller than 500 μm in mass. Cd, Cr, Cu, and Ni were more likely to attach to smaller sediments than bigger ones, compared to Pb and Zn. Mass loading of the sediments generally increased with antecedent dry periods, but the linear relationship was better for smaller sediments than for bigger ones. Heavy metal concentrations adsorbed on sediments with diameter less than 40€μm generally decreased more obviously than those adsorbed on bigger ones after rainfall events.

Keywords

antecedent dry periods / heavy metals / rainfall events / sediments

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Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg