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Contaminants in urban runoff to Norwegian fjords

  • SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT IN NORWAY • RESEARCH ARTICLE
  • Published:
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Abstract

Introduction

Sediments from urban stormwater runoff have been collected and analyzed for the content of various contaminants in harbor areas of Harstad, Trondheim, Bergen, and Drammen, Norway.

Materials and methods

The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), tributyltin, heavy metals, and total organic carbon were determined in most samples. This study provides substantial empirical data on the active, ongoing dispersion of pollutants from land-based sources in an urban area toward the marine environments in Norway.

Results and discussion

The results of the analyses clearly demonstrate the importance of the urban environment representing a variety of contamination sources, and that stormwater runoff is an important dispersion mechanism of toxic pollutants.

Conclusion

The concentrations of different contaminants in the urban runoff sediments show that there are several active pollution sources supplying the runoff systems with PCBs, PAHs (including benzo(a)pyrene, B(a)p), and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, zinc, and cadmium. This study describe the usefulness of the methods on how to examine ongoing urban contamination of harbors and similar recipients before any remediation plan for improving the environmental condition of marine sediments is effectuated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geological Survey of Norway, 7491, Trondheim, Norway

    Morten Jartun

  2. Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, Postboks 3930 Ullevål Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway

    Arne Pettersen

Authors
  1. Morten Jartun
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  2. Arne Pettersen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Morten Jartun.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Gijs D. Breedveld

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Jartun, M., Pettersen, A. Contaminants in urban runoff to Norwegian fjords. J Soils Sediments 10, 155–161 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-009-0181-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-009-0181-y

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