Abstract

ZAFRA MEJIA, Carlos Alfonso; PENA VALBUENA, Nancy Ángela  and  ALVAREZ PRIETO, Santiago. Heavy metal pollution in the sediments accumulated on Bogotá - Soacha highway (Colombia). Tecnura [online]. 2013, vol.17, n.37, pp.99-108. ISSN 0123-921X.

Abstract Road sediments accumulated in dry weather carry metallic elements, which affects water resources when transported by runoff and deteriorates the air quality when suspended by wind and the turbulence induced by traffic. This paper presents the results of a pollution assessment on heavy metal particles associated to road sediment from two particular areas (i.e. Zones 1 and 2) of the Bogotá-Soacha highway (Colombia). Road sediment was collected in each area by direct sweep over a surface of 0.25 m² and for a period of four months. The concentration of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Ba and Pb was determined per size fraction (less than 250 !m from road sediment). These figures were obtained by means of fame atomic absorption spectrometry and also by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results suggest that the main origin of heavy metals were the mobile sources (i.e. the wear of tires, brake pads and automotive parts). In addition, it is shown that the concentration of Pb and Zn was higher than that allowed by current regulations (used as reference). With regard to urban soils, heavy metals that exceeded the permissible limits were as follows: Pb (21.7 % and 87.0 % of the time in Zones 1 and 2, respectively) and Zn (84.8 % and 82.6 % of the time in Zones 1 and 2, respectively).

Keywords : pollution; water quality; runoff.

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