Design and development of green roof substrate to improve runoff water quality: Plant growth experiments and adsorption

2014 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 94-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Vijayaraghavan ◽  
Franklin D. Raja
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Growth Experiments

scholarly journals The influence of a green roof drainage layer on retention capacity and leakage quality

2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 2886-2895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Baryła ◽  
Agnieszka Karczmarczyk ◽  
Andrzej Brandyk ◽  
Agnieszka Bus
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Meteorological Station ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Drainage Layer ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Substrate Moisture ◽  
Leachate Quality

Abstract The aim of the research was to determine the influence of the substrate and different drainage materials on retention capacity and runoff water quality from three green roof containers. Phosphates were chosen as the water quality indicator based on their potential adverse impact on water quality in urban rainwater collectors. The field experiment was conducted at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences Water Center meteorological station in years 2013–2015. In terms of precipitation, the monitoring period covered a wet (+147.1 mm), average (+42.7 mm) and dry (− 66.3 mm) year. Leakage from the containers was recorded when the substrate moisture exceeded 20% and precipitation exceeded 3.5 mm/d for washed gravel, or 5.0 mm/d for a polypropylene mat and expanded clay. Phosphates were observed in leachates from all containers, with higher values observed in the second year of monitoring. As the result of this study, it can be concluded that the polypropylene mat and aggregates create different conditions for the formation of the leachate, in both volumes and its chemistry. The drainage layer made from a polypropylene mat is the most effective in terms of rainwater retention capacity and the resulting leachate quality.

Environmental drivers of seasonal variation in green roof runoff water quality

2016 ◽  
Vol 91 ◽  
pp. 506-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ishi Buffam ◽  
Mark E. Mitchell ◽  
Richard D. Durtsche
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Roof Runoff

scholarly journals Effect of Green Roof Configuration and Hydrological Variables on Runoff Water Quantity and Quality

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascual Ferrans ◽  
Carlos Rey ◽  
Gabriel Pérez ◽  
Juan Rodríguez ◽  
Mario Díaz-Granados
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Substrate Type ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Modular Systems ◽  
Hydrological Variables

Green roofs (GRs) are a feasible solution for mitigating increased runoff volumes in urban areas. Though many studies have focused their analysis on the quantity and quality of GR runoff, with respect to the relevance of specific site conditions in GR performance, the information gathered for the tropical Andes is not sufficient. This study assessed the hydrological performance and runoff water quality of 12 green roof modular systems located at the Universidad de los Andes campus (Bogotá, Colombia). Based on 223 rainfall events spanning a 3-year period, average rainfall retention was 85% (coefficient of variation = 29%). t-tests, the Welch Test, multiple linear regressions, and correlation analysis were performed in order to assess the potential effect of air temperature, substrate type, vegetation cover, relative humidity, antecedent dry weather period (ADWP), rainfall duration, and rainfall maximum intensity. In some cases, GR design variables (i.e., substrate type and vegetation cover) were found to be significant for describing rainfall retention efficiencies and, depending on the GR type, some hydrological variables were also correlated with rainfall retention. Rainfall and GR runoff from 12 rainfall events were also monitored for total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, total phosphorus (TP), phosphates, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), color, turbidity, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total coliforms, metals (i.e., zinc, copper, nickel, lead, selenium, aluminum, barium, boron, calcium, strontium, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results obtained confirmed that GR systems have the ability to neutralize pH, but are a source of the rest of the aforementioned parameters, excluding PAHs (with concentrations below detection limits), ammonia, TSS, selenium and lithium, where differences with control cases (rainfall and plastic panel runoff) were not statistically significant. Substrate type, event size, and rainfall regime are relevant variables for explaining runoff water quality.

EFFECT OF GREEN ROOF AGE ON RUNOFF WATER QUALITY IN PORTLAND, OREGON

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 42-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarrett Okita ◽  
Cara Poor ◽  
Jessica M. Kleiss ◽  
Ted Eckmann
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Rain Event ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Runoff Water

Green roofs have become a common method to increase water retention on-site in urban areas. However, the long-term water quality of runoff from green roofs is poorly understood. This study evaluated the water quality of stormwater runoff from a regular (non-vegetated) roof, a green roof installed 6 months previously, and a green roof installed 6 years ago in Portland, Oregon. Samples of runoff were taken during every rain event for 10 months, and analyzed for total phosphorus (TP), phosphate (PO3-4), total nitrogen (TN), nitrate (NO-3), ammonia (NH3), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Runoff from the green roofs had higher concentrations of TP and PO3-4 and lower concentrations of Zn compared to the regular roof. Average TP concentrations from the 6-year old roof and 6-month old roof were 6.3 and 14.6 times higher, respectively, than concentrations from the regular roof, and average PO3-4 concentrations from the 6-year old roof and 6-month old roof were 13.5 and 26.6 times higher, respectively, compared to the regular roof. Runoff from the 6-month old green roof had higher concentrations of TP and PO3-4 than the 6-year old green roof during the wet season, but lower concentrations during the dry season. The 6-month old green roof installations where receiving waters are sensitive or impaired may need additional treatment methods to reduce phosphorus levels. As green roofs age, water retention decreases and phosphorus leaching increases during the dry season.

scholarly journals Effect of Green Roof Configuration and Hydrological Variables on Runoff Water Quantity and Quality

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascual Ferrans ◽  
Carlos Rey ◽  
Gabriel Pérez ◽  
Juan Pablo Rodríguez Sánchez ◽  
Mario Díaz-Granados
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Green Roof ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Rainfall Regime ◽  
Substrate Type ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Modular Systems ◽  
Design Variables ◽  
Hydrological Variables

This study assessed the hydrological performance and runoff water quality of 12 green roof (GR) modular systems located at the Universidad de los Andes campus (Bogotá, Colombia). Based on 223 rainfall events spanning a 3-year period, average rainfall retention was 85% (SD = 25%). T-tests, Welch Test, multiple linear regressions and correlation analysis were performed in order to assess the potential effect of air temperature, substrate type, vegetation cover, relative humidity, antecedent dry weather period (ADWP), rainfall duration and rainfall maximum intensity. In some cases, GR design variables (i.e. growing media and type of vegetation) were found to be significant for describing rainfall retention efficiencies and, depending on the GR type, some hydrological variables were also correlated with the rainfall retention. Rainfall and GR runoff were monitored for Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, Total Phosphorus (TP), Phosphates, pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Color, Turbidity, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Coliforms, metals and Poliaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results obtained confirmed that GR systems have the ability to neutralize pH, but are source of the rest of the aforementioned parameters, excluding PAHs (with concentrations below detection limits), Ammonia, TSS, Se and Li, where differences with reference values (rainfall and plastic panel runoff) were not statistically significant. Substrate type, event size and rainfall regime are relevant variables for explaining runoff water quality.

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