Evaluation of a gross pollutant trap-biofilter stormwater treatment train : The Role Of Calcium Carbonate, Vegetation And Pre-Treatment Facility

Abstract: Development of cities, new buildings and other impervious surfaces entails increased stormwater flows, volumes and pollutant loads. Heavy metals, nutrients, sediments and salt are common pollutants in stormwater. The conventional way to manage stormwater, which is by discharge to the receiving water body via a sewage network, will not be sufficient for mitigating high flows, flood risks and pollution export. Thus, Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater facilities, such as stormwater biofilters, are built in an increasing rate in Sweden and worldwide. The main function of a stormwater biofilter is water quality treatment, which is achieved when stormwater percolates through a vegetated filter media. Sometimes a pre-treatment facility is installed before the biofilter to reduce the sediment load on the biofilter and extend its life-length. However, there are knowledge gaps regarding pollutant removal in biofilters and the role of associated pre-treatment facilities. In this study the impact of a pre-treatment facility, calcium carbonate as amendment in the filter media and vegetation was investigated regarding treatment of heavy metals (Cd (cadmium), Cu (copper), Pb (lead) and Zn (zinc)), phosphorus and total suspended solids. To do this, influent and effluent stormwater samples from an existing biofilter in Sundsvall were analysed and evaluated regarding removal performance of the above-mentioned pollutants.  In general, the stormwater biofilter facility (including pre-treatment) removed total metals well while the removal of the dissolved fraction showed higher variations. Influent concentrations of TP were always higher than effluent concentrations. Leaching of phosphate repeatedly occurred from the filter sections. The mean removal of TSS was high (96.9%). CaCO3 as amendment in the filter material had a beneficial effect on the overall metal removal of the stormwater facility. Although leaching of phosphate occurred from all filter sections, the leaching was lowest from the section with CaCO3,indicating possible benefits of CaCO3 as amendment. CaCO3 did not seem to affect the mean total phosphorus removal significantly. Removal of total metals seemed to be improved by vegetation, but the removal of dissolved metals, total phosphorus and phosphate did not seem to be enhanced by vegetation. The filter section with vegetation and without CaCO3 amendment contributed with the highest effluent concentrations of total phosphorus and phosphate (leaching), considering that vegetation released more phosphate that it captured. The main treatment of the stormwater pollutants occurred within the biofilter and both positive and negative removal of all pollutants was observed by the pre-treatment facility. The result showed that the pre-treatment facility was most beneficial for removal of dissolved metals.