Roger Roseth

Senior Research Scientist

(+47) 926 16 344
roger.roseth@nibio.no

Place
Ås O43

Visiting address
Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Ås

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Abstract

A research has been undertaken studying pesticide residues in water from greenhouses and the use of soils and filter materials to reduce such losses. The pesticides detected in water samples collected downstream greenhouses include 9 fungicides, 5 herbicides and 4 insecticides. 10 compounds from flower and vegetable productions were frequently found to exceed environmental risk levels, and with a few exceptions the compounds were found in higher concentrations than those typically found in agricultural runoff. Some compounds were found in high concentrations (.1mg/l) in undiluted runoff from greenhouses producing vegetables. Nutrient concentrations in the runoff were also sporadically very high, with phosphorous values varying between 0.85 and 7.4mgP/l, and nitrogen values between 7.5 and 41.4mgN/l. Undiluted runoff from the productions showed values of 60mgP/l and 300mgN/l. High values of pesticides correlated with high values of nutrients, especially P. Column experiments using a sandy agricultural soil and stock solutions of non-polar and slightly polar pesticides mixed with a complex binder and nutrients showed a significant reduction for nearly all of the compounds used, indicating that transport through soil will reduce the concentrations of the studied pesticides. The pesticide adsorption capacity of the filter materials pine bark, peat, Sphagnum moss, compost, oat straw, ferrous sand and clay soil were tested in batch and column experiments. Adsorption were studied contacting the filter materials with aqueous solutions containing greenhouse production pesticides. The batch experiments showed that pine bark and peat, both combining a high content of organic matter with a low ph, provided the highest adsorption for most of the tested pesticides. Sphagnum moss, compost and oat straw also showed high adsorption for most of the pesticides, while the mineral filters provided the lowest adsorption (30-55%). Further column experiments confirmed these results, displaying the best removal efficiency in the organic materials, varying from 200mg/g in compost, to 500mg/g in moss, straw and pine bark.

Abstract

Tunnel wash waters characterize all waters that run of after washing procedures of tunnels are performed. These waters represent a wide spectrum of organic and inorganic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and toxic metals. Removal of such contaminants from water runoff was investigated using laboratory tests after washing procedure was performed on two road tunnels in eastern Norway (Hanekleiv and Bragernes). Due to diverse character of both, treatment media and treated wash waters, the whole investigation was divided into two separate laboratory experiments. The treatment efficiencies were established based on the levels of concentrations and reductions of the measured contaminants in the effluents released from the tested media. In the first part of the article, the contents of nonpolar oil (NPO), 16 individual PAHs, and total PAHs are described. This part revealed that the combination of two organic sorbent materials provided the highest treatment efficiency for wash waters released from the road tunnel and from electrostatic filters. The greatest reduction levels reached 97.6% for NPO, 97.2% for benzo[a]pyrene, and 96.5% for the total PAHs. In the second part of the article, the concentrations and the removal rates of toxic metals are reported.