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Mass fluxes of xenobiotics below cities: challenges in urban hydrogeology

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Abstract

Urban areas are the focus of major ecological, social and economical activity. They are thus also prime locations of increasing conflict with regard to water use and water protection. As a direct and/or indirect consequence of urban land use and human activity, urban water systems are frequently polluted with organic contaminants including waste water-born xenobiotics such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products (collectively known as PPCPs) and endocrine-active substances. This study reviews new integrated methodologies including flux calculations as well as chemical investigations for determining the impact of human activities on urban water systems and on processes within the urban watershed. The use of indicator substances, representing different contaminant sources and pathways, integral pum** tests and mass balance approaches are suitable alternatives within these environments. The issues are explored using contaminant mass balance examples from Halle/Saale and Leipzig, Germany.

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Acknowledgments

We thank our colleagues from the UFZ-integrated project “Micropollutants in water and soil in the urban environment”. We also would like to thank two anonymous reviewers who helped to strengthen the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstr. 133, 8600, Duebendorf, Switzerland

    Mario Schirmer

  2. Department of Water and Waste Management, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, Breitscheidstr. 2, 39114, Magdeburg, Germany

    Frido Reinstorf

  3. Department of Groundwater Remediation, UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany

    Sebastian Leschik

  4. Department of Hydrogeology, UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany

    Andreas Musolff & Gerhard Strauch

  5. Department of Hydrogeology, UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany

    Ronald Krieg

  6. Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, G1V0A6, Canada

    John W. Molson

  7. Chair Biotechnology of Water Treatment, Institute for Environmental Technology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus, Siemens-Halske-Ring 8, 03046, Cottbus, Germany

    Marion Martienssen

  8. Department of Environmental Toxicology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstr. 133, 8600, Duebendorf, Switzerland

    Kristin Schirmer

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  1. Mario Schirmer
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Correspondence to Mario Schirmer.

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Schirmer, M., Reinstorf, F., Leschik, S. et al. Mass fluxes of xenobiotics below cities: challenges in urban hydrogeology. Environ Earth Sci 64, 607–617 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0880-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-010-0880-0

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