Contamination and treatment of highway runoff

One and a half year long field sampling was established in order to evaluate the contamination of storm water runoff. The event means (EMC) total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) concentration of the runoff was a function of the actual traffic intensity and the rainfall depth. It was concluded that this TPH, of which dominant component is the engine-oil (characteristically C28) does not form an ‘oil-in-water’ type emulsion in the condition of normal motorway-operation, but is interlocked to asphalt, rubber and soot particles of maximum some ten microns size. This condition influences the possibility, way and extent of separation alike. The separation equipments and their sizing applied so far are not suitable to achieve efficient surface water protection. Practical prevention method of accidental type environment pollution was also suggested. On the basis of the international literature evaluation, technical solutions capable to decrease the runoff pollution were summarized. Among these, useful calculation method was developed for designers to determine the sufficient storage capacity (water quality volume) of reservoirs applied for water quality protection. Monitoring technique of runoffs, which are characterized time dependent, variable pollutant concentrations by their nature, was proposed. It was stated that the administrative regulation should aim at the EMC instead of current concentration. Beside TPH information was gained on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), suspended solids, heavy metals, pH, and nutrient (N, P) pollution of the runoff, which are valuable for the grounding of further research results