Understanding the relationship between heavy metals in road-deposited sediments and washoff particles in urban stormwater using simulated rainfall.

Understanding the relationship between heavy metals in road-deposited sediments (RDS) and washoff particles is essential to controlling urban runoff pollution. RDS and its associated heavy metals were investigated along the urban-suburban-rural gradient around Beijing, China. RDS washoff and its associated metal contaminants in different particle size fractions were evaluated using simulated rainfall. The results showed that the washoff percentage of RDS decreased along the urban-rural gradient. The Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr and Pb contents in washoff particles were 28.1%, 20.0%, 19.7%, 11.6%, and 11.4% higher than those in RDS, respectively. Additionally, different metals showed increases in different chemical fractions. RDS particles <105 μm accounted for 40% of the total mass in RDS, but 50%, 70% and 75% of the total metal content in RDS, washoff particle mass and washoff particle metal content, respectively. Rainfall intensity and duration affected the amount of metals in washoff, but did not lead to an increase in the percentage of metals with different chemical fractions in washoff particles. The findings presented herein will facilitate development of strategies for control of urban diffuse pollution from RDS.