Variability of Metal Composition and Concentrations in Road Dust in the Urban Environment

Urban road dust comprises of a range of potentially 
toxic metal elements and plays a critical role in degrading urban 
receiving water quality. Hence, assessing the metal composition and 
concentration in urban road dust is a high priority. This study 
investigated the variability of metal composition and concentrations 
in road dust in 4 different urban land uses in Gold Coast, Australia. 
Samples from 16 road sites were collected and tested for selected 12 
metal species. The data set was analyzed using both univariate and 
multivariate techniques. Outcomes of the data analysis revealed that 
the metal concentrations inroad dust differs considerably within and 
between different land uses. Iron, aluminum, magnesium and zinc are 
the most abundant in urban land uses. It was also noted that metal 
species such as titanium, nickel, copper and zinc have the highest 
concentrations in industrial land use. The study outcomes revealed 
that soil and traffic related sources as key sources of metals deposited 
on road surfaces.

 





References:
[1] Fergusson, J.E. and D.E. Ryan, The elemental composition of street dust from large and small urban areas related to city type, source and particle size. Science of the Total Environment, 1984. 34(1–2): p. 101-116.
[2] Ball, J.E., R. Jenks, and D. Aubourg, An assessment of the availability of pollutant constituents on road surfaces. The Science of the Total Environment, 1998. 209(2-3): p. 243-254.
[3] Liu, Y., et al., Source apportionment of ambient volatile organic compounds in the Pearl River Delta, China: Part II. Atmospheric Environment, 2008. 42(25): p. 6261-6274.
[4] Al-Khashman, O.A., Heavy metal distribution in dust, street dust and soils from the work place in Karak Industrial Estate, Jordan. Atmospheric Environment, 2004. 38(39): p. 6803-6812.
[5] Al-Momani, I.F., Trace elements in street and household dusts in Amman, Jordan. Soil and Sediment Contamination: An International Journal, 2007. 16(5): p. 485-496.
[6] Mahbub, P., et al., The impacts of traffic and rainfall characteristics on heavy metals build-up and wash-off from urban roads. Environmental Science and Technology, 2010. 44: p. 8904-8910.
[7] Kowalik, C. and J.W. Einax, Modern chemometric data analysis – methods for the objective evaluation of load in river systems. Acta hydrochimica et hydrobiologica, 2006. 34(5): p. 425-436.
[8] Zhang, W., et al., Source diagnostics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban road runoff, dust, rain and canopy throughfall. Environmental Pollution, 2008. 153(3): p. 594-601.
[9] Mas, S., et al., Application of chemometric methods to environmental analysis of organic pollutants: A review. Talanta, 2010. 80(3): p. 1052-1067.
[10] Gunawardana, C., et al., Role of solids in heavy metals buildup on urban road surfaces. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2012. 138(4): p. 490-498.
[11] Sartor, J.D., G.B. Boyd, and F.J. Agardy, Water pollution aspects of street surface contaminants. Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation), 1974. 46(3): p. 458-467.
[12] Egodawatta, P. and A. Goonetilleke, Characteristics of pollution build-up on residential road surfaces, in 7th International Conference on Hydroscience and Engineering, M. Piasecki, et al., Editors. 2007, Drexel University.
[13] Mostert, M.M.R., G.A. Ayoko, and S. Kokot, Multi-criteria ranking and source identification of metals in public playgrounds in Queensland, Australia. Geoderma, 2012. 173–174(0): p. 173-183.
[14] Lim, M.C.H., et al., A comparative study of the elemental composition of the exhaust emissions of cars powered by liquefied petroleum gas and unleaded petrol. Atmospheric Environment, 2006. 40(17): p. 3111-3122.
[15] Palacios, M.A., et al., Assessment of environmental contamination risk by Pt, Rh and Pd from automobile catalyst. Microchemical Journal, 2000. 67(1–3): p. 105-113.
[16] Adachi, K. and Y. Tainosho, Characterization of heavy metal particles embedded in tire dust. Environment International, 2004. 30(8): p. 1009-1017.
[17] Mostert, M., G. Ayoko, and S. Kokot, Application of chemometrics to analysis of soil pollutants. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2010. 29(5): p. 430-445.
[18] Hulskotte, J.H., et al., Brake wear from vehicles as an important source of diffuse copper pollution. Water Sci Technol, 2007. 56(1): p. 223-31.
[19] Thorpe, A. and R.M. Harrison, Sources and properties of non-exhaust particulate matter from road traffic: A review. Science of The Total Environment, 2008.400(1-3): p. 270-282.