Emissions of heavy metals into river basins of Germany

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 251-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Scherer ◽  
S. Fuchs ◽  
H. Behrendt ◽  
T. Hillenbrand
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Large River ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Large River Basins

The input of seven heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) into the large river basins of Germany via various point and diffuse pathways were estimated for the period of 1985 through 2000. To quantify the emissions via point sources a nationwide survey on heavy metal data of municipal wastewater treatment plants and industrial direct discharges was carried out. The input via diffuse pathways was calculated using an adapted version of the model MONERIS. This model accounts for the significant transport processes, and it includes a Geographical Information System (GIS) that provides digital maps as well as extensive statistical information. For a comparison of the calculated heavy metal emission with the measured heavy metal load at monitoring stations the losses of heavy metals due to retention processes within the river systems have to be considered. Therefore heavy metal retention was calculated according to the retention functions given by Vink and Behrendt. For the large river basins a good correspondence could be found between estimated and measured heavy metal loads in rivers. The total emission into the North Sea decreased for each metal during the period of 1985 to 2000. The reduction varies between 87% for Hg and 41% for Ni mainly caused by the decline via point sources. Today's emissions of heavy metals into river basins of Germany are dominated by the input via diffuse pathways. The most important diffuse emission pathways are “paved urban areas” and “erosion”.

scholarly journals Topography data harmonisation and uncertainties applying SRTM, laser scanner and cartographic elevation models

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 65-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Haase ◽  
K. Frotscher
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Laser Scanner ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Shuttle Radar Topography Mission ◽  
Large River ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Large River Basins

Abstract. Only a few studies have attempted to quantify topography-depending water fluxes, to evaluate retention and reservoir capacities and surface run-off paths within large river basins because data availability and data quality are critical issues to face this objective. It becomes most relevant if water balance has to be calculated in large or transboundary river basins. The advance of space based earth observation data offers a solution to this information problem. Therefore, this paper mainly focuses on weaknesses and strengths analyzing topography with SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) digital height data and thus provides techniques for their improved application in river network derivation, floodplain analysis, watershed hydrology in large as well as in large river basins (>1000 km2). In the analysis different types of digital elevation models (DEM), terrain models (DTM) and land cover classification data (biotope map, Corine Land Cover 1994) have been used. The DHMs are generated from Airborne Laser Scanning (0.5 m), topographic maps (10.0/50.0 m) and SRTM at 30.0 m and 90.0 m spatial resolution. SRTM digital height models are generated by Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and show a high spatial variance in urban areas, regions of dense vegetation canopy, floodplains and water bodies. As study area serve the Elbe basin (Czech Republic, Germany) with its sub-basins and the Saale river basin (Germany, different federal countries Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia).

Lightweight aggregates to reduce heavy metal pollution in green infrastructure for urban stormwater management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Concepcion Pla ◽  
Javier Valdes-Abellan ◽  
Miguel Angel Pardo ◽  
Maria Jose Moya-Llamas ◽  
David Benavente
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Metal Pollution ◽  
Heavy Metal Pollution ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Stormwater Management ◽  
Lightweight Aggregates ◽  
Urban Stormwater ◽  
Runoff Water

<p>The impervious nature of urban areas is mostly responsible for urban flooding, runoff water pollution and the interception of groundwater recharge. Green infrastructure and sustainable urban drainage systems combine natural and artificial measures to mitigate the abovementioned problems, improving stormwater management and simultaneously increasing the environmental values of urban areas. The actual rate of urban growth in many urban areas requires the enhancement and optimization of stormwater management infrastructures to integrate the territorial development with the natural processes. Regarding the quality of runoff stormwater, heavy metals are critical for their impact on human health and ecological systems, even more if we consider the cumulative effect that they produce on biota. Thus, innovative stormwater management approaches must consider new solutions to deal with heavy metal pollution problems caused by runoff. In this study, we propose the employment of Arlita<sup>®</sup> and Filtralite<sup>®</sup>, two kind of lightweight aggregates obtained from expanded clays, to remove heavy metal concentration from runoff stormwater. Laboratory experiments were developed to evaluate the removal rate of different heavy metals existent in runoff stormwater. The lightweight aggregates acted as filter materials in column experiments to quantify their removal capacity. In addition, batch tests were also developed to evaluate the exhaustive capacity of the materials. Results from the study confirmed the efficiency of the selected lightweight aggregates to reduce the heavy metals concentration by up to 90% in urban stormwater runoff.</p>

Projected Changes in Water Balance Components of 11 Large River Basins during the 21st Century and Their Uncertainties

2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 666-675
Author(s):  
O. N. Nasonova ◽  
Ye. M. Gusev ◽  
E. E. Kovalev ◽  
G. V. Ayzel ◽  
M. K. Chebanova
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
21St Century ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Large River ◽  
Water Balance Components ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
Large River Basins

scholarly journals Distributed model of hydrological and sediment transport processes in large river basins in Southeast Asia

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 6755-6797 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Zuliziana ◽  
K. Tanuma ◽  
C. Yoshimura ◽  
O. C. Saavedra
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
River Basin ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Large River ◽  
Mekong River ◽  
Distributed Model ◽  
Mekong River Basin ◽  
Chao Phraya River ◽  
Large River Basins

Abstract. Soil erosion and sediment transport have been modeled at several spatial and temporal scales, yet few models have been reported for large river basins (e.g., drainage areas > 100 000 km2). In this study, we propose a process-based distributed model for assessment of sediment transport at a large basin scale. A distributed hydrological model was coupled with a process-based distributed sediment transport model describing soil erosion and sedimentary processes at hillslope units and channels. The model was tested on two large river basins: the Chao Phraya River Basin (drainage area: 160 000 km2) and the Mekong River Basin (795 000 km2). The simulation over 10 years showed good agreement with the observed suspended sediment load in both basins. The average Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and average correlation coefficient (r) between the simulated and observed suspended sediment loads were 0.62 and 0.61, respectively, in the Chao Phraya River Basin except the lowland section. In the Mekong River Basin, the overall average NSE and r were 0.60 and 0.78, respectively. Sensitivity analysis indicated that suspended sediment load is sensitive to detachability by raindrop (k) in the Chao Phraya River Basin and to soil detachability over land (Kf) in the Mekong River Basin. Overall, the results suggest that the present model can be used to understand and simulate erosion and sediment transport in large river basins.

scholarly journals Modelling constraints on the emission inventory and on vertical dispersion for CO and SO<sub>2</sub> in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area using Solar FTIR and zenith sky UV spectroscopy

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 781-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. de Foy ◽  
W. Lei ◽  
M. Zavala ◽  
R. Volkamer ◽  
J. Samuelsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Emission Inventory ◽  
Uv Spectroscopy ◽  
Transport Processes ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Large Power ◽  
Vertical Dispersion ◽  
Current Emission

Abstract. Emissions of air pollutants in and around urban areas lead to negative health impacts on the population. To estimate these impacts, it is important to know the sources and transport mechanisms of the pollutants accurately. Mexico City has a large urban fleet in a topographically constrained basin leading to high levels of carbon monoxide (CO). Large point sources of sulfur dioxide (SO2) surrounding the basin lead to episodes with high concentrations. An Eulerian grid model (CAMx) and a particle trajectory model (FLEXPART) are used to evaluate the estimates of CO and SO2 in the current emission inventory using mesoscale meteorological simulations from MM5. Vertical column measurements of CO are used to constrain the total amount of emitted CO in the model and to identify the most appropriate vertical dispersion scheme. Zenith sky UV spectroscopy is used to estimate the emissions of SO2 from a large power plant and the Popocatépetl volcano. Results suggest that the models are able to identify correctly large point sources and that both the power plant and the volcano impact the MCMA. Modelled concentrations of CO based on the current emission inventory match observations suggesting that the current total emissions estimate is correct. Possible adjustments to the spatial and temporal distribution can be inferred from model results. Accurate source and dispersion modelling provides feedback for development of the emission inventory, verification of transport processes in air quality models and guidance for policy decisions.

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