Benzotriazole enrichment in snowmelt discharge emanating from engineered snow storage facilities

• Main Author: Alvey, Joshua
• Language: EN
• Published: University of Alaska Anchorage 2014
• Subjects: Hydrology|Environmental Health|Environmental Sciences
• Online Access: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1562333

<p> Organic and inorganic contaminants accumulate on snow grain surfaces. In an urban environment, snowpacks can retain a high load of anthropogenic contaminants that, upon melting, can deliver concentrated contaminant pulses into the aquatic environment. In climates with an extended period of snowfall accumulation, such as in Anchorage, Alaska, contaminant amplification within meltwater may affect aquatic ecosystem health. A spatiotemporal study of benzotriazoles on snow, meltwater and soils was performed in association with three urban snow disposal facilities. Benzotriazole elution from engineered snow disposal sites behaved similarly to inorganic salt and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during the initial melt period, with maximum concentrations between 2.23-7.39 &mu;g/L; similar elution behavior was observed in creeks. Assays of disposal site soils revealed the presence of tolytriazole. Furthermore, using fluorescence spectroscopy and Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) analysis, a modeled component representative of benzotriazoles was identified, containing peaks at Ex/Em 200/306 and Ex/Em 270/387-402. It was determined that this component as well as another modeled component may be utilized as an indicator of anthropogenic input rather than a unique indicator for benzotriazole compounds. Confirmation of suspected consumer antifreeze and windshield wiping fluids containing benzotriazoles exhibited maximum tolytriazole concentrations of 644 mg/L and 138 &mu;g/L respectively.</p>