Thesis
Analysis of the chemistry and microbiology of urban stormwater and its treatment by rain gardens
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2023
- Thesis identifier
- T16621
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 201756766
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) are designed to both lower the quantity and increase the quality of urban runoff that is released to surface water bodies, reducing flood risk and minimising environmental damage. Little is currently known about the microbial communities within SUDS, despite the important role that bacteria play in pollutant removal. Optimising the water treatment potential of SUDS will require a better understanding of how water treatment and microbial community composition are affected by factors such as design and local pollutant concentrations.This thesis examined the chemical and microbial variation in stormwater from Glasgow, Scotland and Florianópolis, Brazil, as well as in influent, effluent, and soil from Glaswegian rain gardens. Concentrations of contaminants were generally higher in Glasgow than in Florianópolis, with several potentially toxic elements (PTEs) exceeding local freshwater standards. Taxonomic and functional microbial diversity were significantly impacted by country of origin, suggesting that geographical factors such as climate are affecting the stormwater community.The Glaswegian rain gardens’ design differed only in soil particle size distribution. All four gardens were able to lower pollutant concentrations, but no clear trend in removal efficiency based on soil type was observed. Influent microbial communities differed significantly from those of the effluent, while the four effluent communities resembled one another and varied based on sampling date, suggesting that seasonal factors or community maturation have a greater impact on water microbiology than soil particle size.Some variation in hydrocarbon and PTE concentrations was seen in the rain garden soil, but the overall level of contamination was low. Taxonomy of the soil microbial communities was similar between gardens, with several common hydrocarbon degraders identified. Differences in taxonomic and functional diversity caused by soil chemistry and morphology were found, suggesting that the choice of soil should be taken into account to maximise community stability.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Phoenix, Vernon
- Resource Type
- DOI
- Date Created
- 2022
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PDF of thesis T16621 | 2023-07-04 | Público | Descargar |