| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4430049 | Science of The Total Environment | 2011 | 9 Pages |
The predicted changes in rainfall characteristics due to climate change could adversely affect stormwater quality in highly urbanised coastal areas throughout the world. This in turn will exert a significant influence on the discharge of pollutants to estuarine and marine waters. Hence, an in-depth analysis of the effects of such changes on the wash-off of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from urban roads in the Gold Coast region in Australia was undertaken. The rainfall characteristics were simulated using a rainfall simulator. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multicriteria Decision tools such as PROMETHEE and GAIA were employed to understand the VOC wash-off under climate change. It was found that low, low to moderate and high rain events due to climate change will affect the wash-off of toluene, ethylbenzene, meta-xylene, para-xylene and ortho-xylene from urban roads in Gold Coast. Total organic carbon (TOC) was identified as predominant carrier of toluene, meta-xylene and para-xylene in < 1 μm to 150 μm fractions and for ethylbenzene in 150 μm to > 300 μm fractions under such dominant rain events due to climate change. However, ortho-xylene did not show such affinity towards either TOC or TSS (total suspended solids) under the simulated climatic conditions.
Research highlights► Low, low to moderate and high rain events due to climate change will affect wash-off of the traffic generated VOCs.► TOC could be regarded as main carrier of VOCs in wash-off under changed climatic conditions in fractions 1- > 300 µm. ► Removal of toluene, meta and para-xylene from stormwater could be achieved by targeting TOC in < 1- 150 µm fractions. ► TOC in 150- > 300 µm fractions could be targeted for the removal of ethylbenzene from stormwater. ► Ortho-xylene’s wash-off is independent under changed climatic conditions.
