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    Detecting river pollution using fluorescence spectrophotometry: case studies from the Ouseburn, NE England


    Baker, Andy, Inverarity, Roger, Charlton, Martin and Richmond, Susie (2003) Detecting river pollution using fluorescence spectrophotometry: case studies from the Ouseburn, NE England. Environmental Pollution, 124 (1). pp. 57-70. ISSN 1873-6424

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    Abstract

    Recent advances in fluorescence spectrophotometry enable the analysis of river dissolved organic matter. We investigate the potential of detecting sewage pollution in a small, urbanised catchment. Downstream sampling highlighted a summer maximum in tryptophan fluorescence intensity during low flow. No correlation is observed between ammonia and tryptophan fluorescence intensity. In contrast, two sewage related point-pollution events had both high tryptophan fluorescence intensity and ammonia, suggesting that the summer tryptophan increase does not original from foul sewage. Sewage inputs to the river were therefore monitored at summer baseflow. This demonstrated that > 10% of the rivers’ discharge is provided by sewerage inputs and that these inputs could be grouped by their fluorescence and ammonia properties: (1) ‘clean’ storm waters with low ammonia and tryptophan intensity (2) ‘grey’ waters with high tryptophan intensity and low ammonia concentration, and (3) ‘foul’ waters with high tryptophan intensity and ammonia concentration. All three types of sewerage input occurred irrespective of flow conditions, suggesting that sewerage cross connections are occurring.
    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: Fluorescence; Sewage; Cross connected sewers; Combined sewage overflows; Ouseburn;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering > Research Institutes > National Centre for Geocomputation, NCG
    Item ID: 5905
    Depositing User: Martin Charlton
    Date Deposited: 23 Feb 2015 17:01
    Journal or Publication Title: Environmental Pollution
    Publisher: Elsevier
    Refereed: Yes
    Related URLs:
    URI: https://mu.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/5905
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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