Record Details
Reconnaissance Investigation of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater-Treatment-Plant Effluent and Stormwater Runoff in the Columbia River Basin
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Reconnaissance Investigation of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater-Treatment-Plant Effluent and Stormwater Runoff in the Columbia River Basin |
| Names |
Morace, Jennifer
(creator) |
| Date Issued | 2011-05-25 (iso8601) |
| Note | Presented at The Oregon Water Conference, May 24-25, 2011, Corvallis, OR. |
| Abstract | In order to efficiently reduce toxic loading to the Columbia River basin, sources and pathways need to be identified. Little is known about the toxic loadings coming from wastewater-treatment facilities and stormwater runoff in the system. This study provides preliminary data on these sources and pathways throughout the basin. The cities sampled in Oregon and Washington were chosen for their diverse characteristics, including population density. Samples were collected from a wastewater-treatment facility in each of the cities and analyzed for wastewater-indicator compounds, pharmaceuticals, PCBs, PBDEs, organochlorine or legacy compounds, currently used pesticides, mercury, and estrogenicity. Currently, these treatment facilities are required to sample their effluent to meet their permit requirements, which are very limited. Little is known about the environmental implications of emerging contaminants in these effluents. Results indicate that a majority of these compounds are present in the effluent and some at environmentally relevant concentrations. Although the grab samples were not time-integrated and the effluent is expected to change in nature throughout time, the continuous input of this number of compounds and at these concentrations can have implications on the receiving waters, the foodweb reliant on these waters, and the ecosystem as a whole. The second component of the sampling effort was directed at characterizing stormwater runoff for a slightly different set of emerging contaminants—PCBs, PBDEs, organochlorine compounds, PAHs, metals, currently used pesticides, and oil and grease. Studies have shown that stormwater, most often untreated before entering the receiving waters, can deliver significant loadings of these compounds. Unlike WWTP effluent, stormwater runoff is sporadic and unpredictable, and the sudden input of these contaminants has implications for the ecosystem. These two pathways are poorly understood in terms of their toxic contribution to the system, yet they act as integrators of human activities and offer an area where changes could be made to reduce harmful human impact on the environment. |
| Genre | Presentation |
| Access Condition | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/ |
| Topic | emerging contaminants |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/22901 |
