Monitoring of trace organic contaminants in stormwater runoff from five catchments in Berlin

Monitoring of trace organic contaminants in stormwater runoff from five catchments in Berlin

In recent years, the effect of urbanization on the quality of stormwater runoff gained increased attention including investigations on micropollutants. Especially in cities dominated by separated sewer systems, stormwater runoff containing micropollutants from anthropogenic origin is discharged mostly untreated into surface waters and therefore a potential source of high loads of pollutants. In a one year monitoring campaign stormwater runoff from five different catchments in Berlin is analyzed for major groups of micropollutants such as phthalates, organophosphates, organotin-compounds, biocides/pesticides, PAH’s, alkylphenols, polybrominated diphenylether, polychlorinated biphenyls and heavy metals. Sampling sites are equipped with automatic samplers, flow and water level meters in order to prepare flow proportional composite samples (recommended sampling strategy according to DIN ISO 5667-10). First results show that all groups of micropollutants were found in at least one catchment type in concentrations > 2 µg/L. Concentrations of the different micropollutant groups vary depending on the catchment types. So far, no organotin-compounds, polybrominated diphenylether or polychlorinated biphenyls were determined.