Effect-Based Assessment of Runoff Water Streams in Stormwater Manufactured Barriers

Abstract

Stormwater and urban runoff have been identified as one of the major sources of chemical pollution in the aquatic environment. Although traditionally treated with man-made stormwater ponds to prevent flooding as well as to foster the remediation of some pollutants, the biological activities and removal efficiencies of toxic micropollutants are largely unknown. In this study, two stormwater ponds were studied during different hydrological conditions by means of a battery (n = 6) of cell-based bioassays, whereby the toxic pressure of the inlet and outlet water could be assessed. While no activities were observed for the oxidative stress reporter gene or androgenic activation or inhibition, clear agonistic and antagonistic estrogenic as well as aryl hydrocarbon activation responses were observed. Our observations further indicate that the efficiency of the ponds’ ability to lower this bioactivity from inlet to outlet was highly variable, with several cases where higher activity was observed in the outgoing water than in the ingoing water, indicating poor management of the stormwater and the need for improved treatment approaches before the stormwater is discharged into recipient water bodies.

Stormwater ponds show inconsistent pollution reduction, with some increasing toxicity, emphasizing the need for improved stormwater treatment strategies.