Transactions on Transport Sciences 2012, 5(4):205-214 | DOI: 10.2478/v10158-012-0023-2

Groundwater Contamination Caused by Road Construction Materials

R. Ličbinský*,1, J. Huzlík1, I. Provalilová1, V. Jandová1, M. Ličbinská2
1 Transport Research Centre, Division of transport infrastructure and environment, Brno, Czech Republic
2 VĹ B - Technical University of Ostrava, Faculty of Mining and Geology, Institute of geological engineering, Ostrava, Czech Republic

Materials used for the construction of roads can represent one of the sources of environmental pollution. In this respect, especially the water migrating in the road body can be contaminated by pollutants released from these materials. This paper presents the results of a study focused on the leaching of compounds from materials used for road construction. At localities with older pavement surfaces, concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) detected in samples from different body layers were highest in the layer subjacent to the asphalt pavement surface and decreased in the direction to underlying layers. The highest concentrations of PAHs were found in the pavement surface at the locality with the newest pavement surface. Toxicity tests showed adverse effects on test organisms at all localities in the first layer, i.e. the asphalt pavement surface, as well as in the third or fourth layer. On the contrary, samples with the highest concentrations of PAHs were classified as non-toxic, with zero mortality of test organisms. In samples of infiltration water the same PAHs as in soils were identified, with the highest concentrations detected for pyrene, benzo(a)pyrene, and fluoranthene. Water filtration through the road bodies can be classified as slightly toxic to test organisms.

Keywords: water; road; PAH; metals; leaching.

Published: December 1, 2012  Show citation

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Ličbinský, R., Huzlík, J., Provalilová, I., Jandová, V., & Ličbinská, M. (2012). Groundwater Contamination Caused by Road Construction Materials. Transactions on Transport Sciences, 5(4), 205-214. doi: 10.2478/v10158-012-0023-2
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