Pollution In Airport Stormwater Is Being Mapped

For the first time in Europe, a nation-wide agreement to undertake research of airport's stormwater will take place in Sweden. The aim is to ensure the long-term protection of important watercourses in the surrounding area. Researchers in Urban Water Engineering at Luleå University of Technology and the airport operator Swedavia have signed a five-year research collaboration agreement for sustainable water management at all ten of its airports.

"Swedavia has ambitious goals when it comes to reducing the contamination of stormwater discharging to receiving waters, from its airports, and here we contribute with our internationally leading scientific expertise in the field," says Maria Viklander, Professor in Urban Water Engineering at Luleå University of Technology.

Sweden becomes a pioneer with its airports

Airport operators worldwide are facing the challenge of managing emissions from substances such as de-icing agents, anti-slip treatments, and firefighting foam, which risk affecting nearby watercourses and groundwater. Sweden is taking the lead as Swedavia, in collaboration with Luleå University of Technology, conducts an extensive mapping of groundwater pollution from airports.

Historical PFAS contamination from firefighting foam poses a challenge

The first of Swedavia's airports that researchers at Luleå University of Technology will investigate is Stockholm Arlanda Airport. One of the biggest challenges with stormwater at the airposrt, are mobilization of historical emissions of PFAS from firefighting foam, as well as arsenic that occurs naturally in the soil at the airport. Airports are often a major source of historical PFAS pollution because these continue to be released from soil and sediment for a very long time, even though PFAS firefighting foam is no longer used today. PFASs degrade very slowly and are thus called ‘forever chemicals’. Their high solubility and mobility in aquatic environments contribute to their long-lasting circulation in aquatic environments.

For Arlanda, it is primarily Märstaån with its connection to Sigtuna municipality's stormwater system that risks being contaminated by polluted stormwater from the airport, but also the groundwater at the airport. The research focuses on stormwater from paved surfaces such as rooftops, parking areas, runways, aircraft stands, and ramp areas, where aircraft operations and ground services take place. The researchers evaluate how airport runoff impacts surface water and groundwater in the surrounding area.

A current environmental priority area for Swedavia is to develop an integrated understanding of the generation, behaviour and fate of airport runoff from both water quality and quantity perspectives, together with the identification and testing of options for its sustainable management. These needs align well with the mission of Luleå University of Technology's Centre for Stormwater Management, DRIZZLE, to conduct needs-driven research to develop evidence-based solutions for stormwater management, minimize pollution in recipients, and harness opportunities with stormwater, such as directing stormwater to green areas as a sustainable multi-benefit approach.

"Together with Swedavia, we can now develop and address research questions within sustainable stormwater management, with results that could be applied at Arlanda and are of great significance for other airports nationally and internationally," says Godecke-Tobias Blecken, Professor in Urban Water Engineering at Luleå University of Technology.

At Stockholm Arlanda Airport, it is mainly the Märstaån river, which is connected to the Sigtuna municipality's stormwater system, that risks being polluted by stormwater from the airport, but the groundwater at the airport is also affected. The research focuses on stormwater from hard surfaces such as rooftops, parking lots, runways, aprons and apron areas, where aircraft are handled and ground handling activities are carried out. Researchers are evaluating the impact of airport runoff on surface water and groundwater in the surrounding area.

In the environmental area, Swedavia is prioritizing the development of an integrated understanding of how stormwater at the airports is formed, behaves and spreads from a quality and quantity perspective, and to identify and test sustainable treatment solutions. This fits well with the research focus of Luleå University of Technology's Center for Stormwater Management, DRIZZLE. Here, needs-driven research is conducted to develop evidence-based solutions for stormwater management, minimize pollution in recipients and utilize the potential of stormwater, for example by leading stormwater to green areas as a sustainable and multifunctional solution.

"Together with Swedavia, we can now develop and address research issues in sustainable stormwater management, with results that can be applied at Stockholm Arlanda Airport and that are of great importance to other airports both nationally and internationally", says Godecke-Tobias Blecken, Professor of Urban Water Engineering at Luleå University of Technology.

Swedavia is a state-owned company that owns, operates, and develops 10 airports in Sweden: Göteborg Landvetter Airport, Kiruna Airport, Luleå Airport, Malmö Airport, Ronneby Airport, Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Bromma Stockholm Airport, Umeå Airport, Visby Airport, and Åre Östersund Airport.

Urban Water Engineering at Luleå University of Technology External link.