Baker, Andy and Inverarity, Roger and Charlton, Martin and Richmond, Susie
(2003)
Detecting river pollution using fluorescence spectrophotometry:
case studies from the Ouseburn, NE England.
Environmental Pollution, 124 (1).
pp. 57-70.
ISSN 1873-6424
Abstract
Recent advances in fluorescence spectrophotometry enable the analysis of river dissolved organic matter. We investigate the
potential of detecting sewage pollution in a small, urbanised catchment. Downstream sampling highlighted a summer maximum in
tryptophan fluorescence intensity during low flow. No correlation is observed between ammonia and tryptophan fluorescence
intensity. In contrast, two sewage related point-pollution events had both high tryptophan fluorescence intensity and ammonia,
suggesting that the summer tryptophan increase does not original from foul sewage. Sewage inputs to the river were therefore
monitored at summer baseflow. This demonstrated that
>
10% of the rivers’ discharge is provided by sewerage inputs and that
these inputs could be grouped by their fluorescence and ammonia properties: (1) ‘clean’ storm waters with low ammonia and
tryptophan intensity (2) ‘grey’ waters with high tryptophan intensity and low ammonia concentration, and (3) ‘foul’ waters with
high tryptophan intensity and ammonia concentration. All three types of sewerage input occurred irrespective of flow conditions,
suggesting that sewerage cross connections are occurring.
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Keywords: |
Fluorescence; Sewage; Cross connected sewers; Combined sewage overflows; Ouseburn; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering > Research Institutes > National Centre for Geocomputation, NCG |
| Item ID: |
5905 |
| Depositing User: |
Martin Charlton
|
| Date Deposited: |
23 Feb 2015 17:01 |
| Journal or Publication Title: |
Environmental Pollution |
| Publisher: |
Elsevier |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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