Impact of urban stormwater runoff on estuarine environmental quality

被引:74
作者
Jeng, HAC [1 ]
Englande, AJ
Bakeer, RM
Bradford, HB
机构
[1] Old Dominion Univ, Coll Hlth Sci, Sch Community & Environm Hlth, Norfolk, VA 23529 USA
[2] Tulane Univ, Sch Publ Hlth & Trop Med, Dept Environm Hlth Sci, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA
[3] Tulane Univ, Sch Engn, Dept Civil & Environm Engn, New Orleans, LA 70118 USA
[4] Louisiana State Univ, Dept Hlth & Hosp, Cent Lab, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA
关键词
indicator organisms; fecal coliform; Escherichia coli; enterococci; sedimentation; suspended particles;
D O I
10.1016/j.ecss.2004.11.024
中图分类号
Q17 [水生生物学];
学科分类号
071004 ;
摘要
Urban stormwater runoff could contribute to the deterioration of water quality of a receiving water body. In this research, field studies and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the microbial contamination resulting from urban stormwater runoff into the Lake Pontchartrain estuary. Fecal coliform, Escherichia coli and enterococci were used as indicator organisms. The specific objectives of the research were to examine the distribution of the indicator organisms in different environmental elements (water column, suspended particles and sediment) and to further investigate the mechanisms related to their fate. Results of the research indicated satisfactory water quality at the study sites during dry weather periods. However, a significant increase was observed in the concentrations of the indicator organisms in the water columns and sediment at specific study sites following a given stormwater event. Three to seven days were needed for the elevated indicator organisms to return back to their background levels in the water column and sediment, respectively. The mechanism of sedimentation contributed to a reduction in the microbial concentration in the water column, as the indicator organisms were found to attach to the suspended particles in the stormwater. The percentage of fecal coliform. E. coli and enterococci attached to the suspended particles was found to be within the range of 9.8-27.5%, 21.8-30.4%. and 8.4-11.5% of the total indicator organisms in the stormwater loaded into the estuary, respectively. About 75-80% of the total indicator organisms remained free-floating for some distance in the water column before dying off. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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页码:513 / 526
页数:14
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