Pollutant Removal from Highway Runoff Using Retention/Detention Units

Abstract

Highway runoff contains total suspended solids, hydrocarbons, oil and greases, chloride, and other contaminants that are transported in solution and particulate forms to adjacent floodplains, roadside swales, and retention/detention ponds. Oil and grit chambers represent a type of retention/detention unit used for removing heavy particulates and adsorbed hydrocarbon particulates. Storage/sediment units also represent a type of retention/detention unit used for controlling peak flow and removing suspended solids. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of traffic volume and site characteristics on highway runoff quality. The study also aims to evaluate the performance of retention/detention units that collect runoff from the Prague-Brno and Prague-Plzeň highways, Czech Republic. The results of this study indicate no definitive relationship between average daily traffic and concentration of runoff constituents, though the site characteristics have a strong relation to some constituents. The results also show that retention/detention units are effective in treating organic compounds.