Buildup characteristics of roof pollutants in the Shanghai urban area, China

The buildup of roof pollutants in an urban area of Shanghai, China was investigated by conducting 16 experiments between November 2007 and October 2008. Concentrations of Cu, Zn and Cd in runoff from three types of roof (concrete, aluminum and glass) exceeded USEPA National Recommended Water Quality Criteria. The solid/liquid partition of the selected metal elements was consistent for the three roof types: Al, Fe, Zn and Pb were present mainly in the particle-bound form, while the total loading of Cd was nearly 100% in the dissolved form. Atmospheric dry precipitation accounted for most of all pollutant loadings for all roof types, while roof material made only a minor contribution to the loadings. All pollutant accumulation rates except for COD showed a seasonal trend with peaks in spring (March similar to May) and winter (December similar to February) and troughs in summer (June similar to August) and autumn (September similar to November). Our results showed that a linear equation is the most reliable of commonly used buildup models to simulate the total phosphorus (TP) and total suspended solids (TSS) buildup processes on aluminum roofs and glass roofs. This study provided novel information about roof runoff in Shanghai, China, in terms of pollution status, pollution source and pollutant buildup processes, thereby aiding in rainwater utilization and non-point pollution control.