Fractionation of heavy metals in runoff and discharge of a stormwater management system and its implications for treatment

A stormwater management system utilizing the mechanisms of sedimentation and filtration/infiltration was developed and constructed for the immobilization of suspended solids and heavy metal constituents (Fe, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Cd, Ni) in runoff. Monitoring took place between May 2010 and November 2012 on a total of 24 storm events. This research on the fractionation of heavy metals in runoff and discharge of a stormwater system provided insight on the actual efficiency of the system and determined the implications for treatment of the particulate-bound and dissolved heavy metals in runoff. Results revealed that the partitioning of heavy metal load in runoff in either dissolved or particulate-bound were influenced by flow rate and total suspended solids load, and evident in high-intensity storm (rainfall-runoff event). On the other hand, the partitioning of heavy metal load discharge from the stormwater system was more apparent during the early period of discharge having higher variability in dissolved than particulate-bound heavy metal. Findings revealed that fractionation of heavy metals played an important role in the performance of the stormwater system; thus, must be considered in designing stormwater systems. For the stormwater system to be effective, it is recommended to design the system treating not only the early period of a storm (first flush criteria) rather until the peak part of the hydrograph (high flow rate where partitioning was greatest) from a load basis.