Source tracking and substance flow analysis (Contact: Hans-Christian Holten Lützhøft and Eva Eriksson)
The origin of xenobiotic organic compounds and heavy metals in household products, building materials and cars, and their release due to wear and tear of materials etc. is identified based on product information databases supplemented with own measurements (see below) and data from literature. The aim is to provide data for hazard and risk identification and to quantify the mass flows of important substances in the technosphere.
Hazard screening and pollutant identification (Contact: Eva Eriksson, Hans-Christian Holten Lützhøft and Anna Ledin)
The content of xenobiotic organic compounds (XOCs) in grey wastewater (wastewater from bathrooms, kitchen and laundry) and stormwater (runoff from roofs, roads, parking lots, recreational areas) is evaluated using three different approaches: i) chemical analysis, ii) biotests and iii) source tracing. Procedures developed in the department are used to screen for potential hazardous compounds in urban waters. The procedures are based on inherent properties of chemicals with persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity as the main criteria. Design of monitoring programmes especially adapted to evaluation of reuse scenarios and treatment options are also based on these approaches.
Monitoring of xenobiotics and microbial contaminants (Contact: Hans-Christian Holten Lützhøft and Hans-Jørgen Albrechtsen)
Principles for monitoring of wet-weather discharges are studied and further developed by combining the knowledge obtained from dynamic modelling with field measurement campaigns using statistical methods, targeting xenobiotics and microbial contaminants that are typically difficult and expensive to quantify. Various sampling techniques (grab samples, composite samples, time and flow proportional sampling as well as passive sampling) are assessed in order to be implemented in smartly designed monitoring programmes.
Case studies (Contact: Eva Eriksson and Peter Steen Mikkelsen)
Case studies involving both experimental investigations and theoretical evaluation of strategies for handling different urban water types are used to test hazard and problem assessment methods. For instance, case studies have recently focused on local treatment and reuse of grey wastewater in a building with flats, on accumulation of heavy metals in stormwater detention ponds and on toxicity evaluations of both sediment and water phases in urban water courses.
Related research is presented by the research group: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry, and development of analyses are coordinated with the research group: Environmental Analytical Chemistry.
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