Water quality performance of road runoff biofilters : retention of particulate and dissolved phase micropollutants

Abstract : In order to study the treatment efficiency of a vegetative filter strip and a biofiltration swale, outlet event mean concentrations are compared with those in untreated road runoff for trace metals and organic micropollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkylphenols, bisphenol-A, phthalates), distinguishing between the particulate and dissolved phases. While particulate pollutants were generally well removed, leading to a good removal of total pollutants, performance was often poor for dissolved pollutants.