10.1021/es104138y.s001
Larry B. Barber
Larry B.
Barber
Ronald C. Antweiler
Ronald C.
Antweiler
Jennifer L. Flynn
Jennifer L.
Flynn
Steffanie H. Keefe
Steffanie H.
Keefe
Dana W. Kolpin
Dana W.
Kolpin
David A. Roth
David A.
Roth
Douglas J. Schnoebelen
Douglas J.
Schnoebelen
Howard E. Taylor
Howard E.
Taylor
Philip L. Verplanck
Philip L.
Verplanck
Lagrangian Mass-Flow Investigations of Inorganic Contaminants in Wastewater-Impacted Streams
American Chemical Society
2011
Lagrangian sampling
effluent chemical mixtures
stream assimilation capacity
chemical loading characteristics
stream ecosystem effects
WWTP
wastewater treatment plant
2011-04-01 00:00:00
Journal contribution
https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Lagrangian_Mass_Flow_Investigations_of_Inorganic_Contaminants_in_Wastewater_Impacted_Streams/2672362
Understanding the potential effects of increased reliance on wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents to meet municipal, agricultural, and environmental flow requires an understanding of the complex chemical loading characteristics of the WWTPs and the assimilative capacity of receiving waters. Stream ecosystem effects are linked to proportions of WWTP effluent under low-flow conditions as well as the nature of the effluent chemical mixtures. This study quantifies the loading of 58 inorganic constituents (nutrients to rare earth elements) from WWTP discharges relative to upstream landscape-based sources. Stream assimilation capacity was evaluated by Lagrangian sampling, using flow velocities determined from tracer experiments to track the same parcel of water as it moved downstream. Boulder Creek, Colorado and Fourmile Creek, Iowa, representing two different geologic and hydrologic landscapes, were sampled under low-flow conditions in the summer and spring. One-half of the constituents had greater loads from the WWTP effluents than the upstream drainages, and once introduced into the streams, dilution was the predominant assimilation mechanism. Only ammonium and bismuth had significant decreases in mass load downstream from the WWTPs during all samplings. The link between hydrology and water chemistry inherent in Lagrangian sampling allows quantitative assessment of chemical fate across different landscapes.