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Impact of Urban Stormwater on Sediment Quality in an Enclosed Bay of the Lule River, Northern Sweden

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Abstract

Sediment and porewater samples from an enclosed bay receiving stormwater discharge (Skutviken) near the centre of Luleå, northern Sweden were analysed for major and trace elements and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Among the studied metals Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were enriched at Skutviken. Also, the PAH content was enriched, in particular for phenantrene, anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene which are regarded as common constituents in stormwater. The use of trace metal ratios provided indications about pollutant sources for the sediment. Cs-137 dating was used to determine historical changes in metal and PAH fixation in the sediment. The bay Skutviken is enclosed through the construction of a road bank since 1962. The enclosure led to reduced water circulation in the bay that promotes the occurrence of anoxic conditions with sulphate reduction within the bay. As a consequence of these conditions, metals are trapped in the sediments as sulphides. This study suggests that enclosed bays with restricted water circulation may be efficient traps for urban pollutants, reducing the present-day input of pollutants to the sea. In areas with postglacial land uplift, where such bays are common, bay sediments are a potential future source of pollutants when uplift results in erosion and oxidation of the sediments.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed by Luleå University of Technology (LTU) and the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agriculture Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS). This support is gratefully acknowledged. For their help with analytical work we like to thank Per Roos at the Radiation Research Division at Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Technical University of Danmark (DTU), Erik Lundberg at Umeå Marine Sciences Centre and Bertil Pålsson at the Division of Mineral Processing at LTU. We also thank Kristin Karlsson, Fredrik Nordblad and Magnus Westerstrand for assistance during the field work and contributing with their knowledge in discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geosciences, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187, Luleå, Sweden

    Ralf Rentz, Anders Widerlund & Björn Öhlander

  2. Division of Architecture and Infrastructure, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187, Luleå, Sweden

    Maria Viklander

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  1. Ralf Rentz
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  2. Anders Widerlund
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  3. Maria Viklander
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  4. Björn Öhlander
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Correspondence to Ralf Rentz.

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Rentz, R., Widerlund, A., Viklander, M. et al. Impact of Urban Stormwater on Sediment Quality in an Enclosed Bay of the Lule River, Northern Sweden. Water Air Soil Pollut 218, 651–666 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0675-7

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