Título:

Impact of road runoff in soil and groundwater: Portuguese and other European case-studies

Resumo:

Road circulation is capable of producing compounds that can pollute the environment. The level and type of emissions depend on several technical aspects that can be related with the road design and the vehicle engineer (size, type of fuel used), as well as with operational factors that are related with the way that the vehicle is used. The compounds emitted come from the fuel combustion, vehicle compounds use, road accessories (like lateral crash barriers) degradation, road degradation, maintenance procedures (application of chemicals), leakage, and accidents. In this paper a synthesis of soil and groundwater pollution by heavy metals in the vicinity of roads is presented. The results are based on data collected by LNEC as well as other data gathered in published papers, summing more than three dozens of case-studies in 10 different European countries. The objective of this analysis was to compile as much information as possible about road pollution by heavy metals in soil and groundwater, in order to be able to have a general overview for Europe of the effective degree and extension of road pollution, independently of the different conditions specific of each study area.

Autores:

Teresa E. Leitão