Sources and characterization of stormwater pollutants

The pollutant content of runoff from buildings has been investigated over the last 30 years, but mainly with respect to metals and often focusing on copper and zinc. It is therefore high time to study other types of materials and also include organics in these studies.

DRIZZLE studies are based on different exterior building materials and the chemical substances they emit. The experiments are carried out at different scales, starting in the laboratory, followed by field studies and then within a small catchment area. Metals as well as organics are analyzed and both metallic materials and modern plastic and bitumen roofing membranes are studied. Thanks to the broad approach ranging from material analysis and laboratory experiments to pilot and field scale, different methods for identifying pollutants can also be compared. The results of these studies will enable recommendations, prescription and selection of environmentally sustainable building materials.