Case study - Investigations of PAH pollution in stormwater stream TVARAN

Project reference

Project:
Pilot project in Umeå city (Sweden)

Customer:
Umeå county, Sweden

Project period
2001-2002

Nature of task:

• Determination of bioacumulative PAH pollution profile in Tvärån stormwater stream
• Evaluation of possible non-point sources

Summary

In this study the 16 EPA PAH compounds were studied. All three sampling sites show different pollution profiles related to the probable industrial and urban activities in the drainage regions. When the clean water upstream industrial area entered the industrial site notable increase of petrogenic and pyrogenic pollution were seen. There were no significant change in the pollutant levels when reaching site at urban area, however change in composition. Most of the lighter methylated compounds are added into the stream in industrial area whereas heavier methylated compounds displays an additional increase in the urban area. After sampling site in urban area the concetration of the petrogenic indicator are increasing more than the concentration of pyrogenic PAHs. This indicates continuos source of petrogenic PAHs in the urban area but the source is different compared to the industrial area.