Can bioretention treatment prevent toxicity in aquatic animals exposed to PAH-enriched stormwater runoff?
Presentation Abstract
Stormwater runoff contains a complex mixture of contaminants including a wide variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), primarily from tire wear, road wear, and automobile exhaust. Many PAHs are acutely harmful to aquatic animals, resulting in cardiovascular toxicity and even death. To better understand the effects of complex mixtures of dissolved PAHs on aquatic animals, we simulated runoff events on an asphalt surface treated with a PAH-rich top dressing (coal tar based sealcoat) commonly applied in populous regions of the USA and Canada. Runoff was collected during simulated runoff events over three exposure periods separated by one-week intervals of natural weathering conditions. Runoff was both collected untreated and treated by filtering through experimental soil bioretention columns containing 60% sand : 40% compost. Juvenile coho salmon, zebrafish embryos, and the waterflea Ceriodaphnia dubia were exposed to untreated runoff or bioretention treated runoff and monitored for acute lethality and sublethal effects. Both the concentration of PAHs and toxicity to aquatic test animals decreased rapidly as a function of time since sealcoat application. For all exposure trials, bioretention treatment successfully reduced or eliminated lethal and sublethal effects of the PAH-rich sealcoat runoff.
Session Title
Session S-09B: Bioretention for Improving Water Quality
Conference Track
Stormwater
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2-5-2014 10:30 AM
End Date
2-5-2014 12:00 PM
Location
Room 608-609
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons--Biodegredation--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Animals--Effect of pollution on--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Runoff--Purification--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Evaluation
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Can bioretention treatment prevent toxicity in aquatic animals exposed to PAH-enriched stormwater runoff?
Room 608-609
Stormwater runoff contains a complex mixture of contaminants including a wide variety of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), primarily from tire wear, road wear, and automobile exhaust. Many PAHs are acutely harmful to aquatic animals, resulting in cardiovascular toxicity and even death. To better understand the effects of complex mixtures of dissolved PAHs on aquatic animals, we simulated runoff events on an asphalt surface treated with a PAH-rich top dressing (coal tar based sealcoat) commonly applied in populous regions of the USA and Canada. Runoff was collected during simulated runoff events over three exposure periods separated by one-week intervals of natural weathering conditions. Runoff was both collected untreated and treated by filtering through experimental soil bioretention columns containing 60% sand : 40% compost. Juvenile coho salmon, zebrafish embryos, and the waterflea Ceriodaphnia dubia were exposed to untreated runoff or bioretention treated runoff and monitored for acute lethality and sublethal effects. Both the concentration of PAHs and toxicity to aquatic test animals decreased rapidly as a function of time since sealcoat application. For all exposure trials, bioretention treatment successfully reduced or eliminated lethal and sublethal effects of the PAH-rich sealcoat runoff.
