We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Impact of bioretention cells in cities with a cold climate: modeling snow management based on a case study
Summary
This paper is not relevant to microplastics; it models the performance of bioretention cells (a green infrastructure technique) for managing stormwater runoff during snowmelt in a Canadian city.
Abstract The performance of blue-green infrastructures (BGIs) has been well documented in temperate and subtropical climates, but evidence supporting their application in cold climates, especially during snowmelt, is still scarce. To address this gap, the present study proposes a modeling method for simulating the performance of bioretention cells during snowmelt according to different spatial implementation scenarios. We used the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) of a catchment in a medium-sized city in Quebec, Canada as a case study. Pollutants commonly found in the snow (TSS, Cr, Pb, Zn, Cl–) were included in the model using event mean concentrations (EMCs) documented in the literature. Bioretention cells performed best on industrial road sites for the entire snowmelt period. Bioretention cell performance was affected by snow management procedures applied to the roads in residential areas. Not modeling the snow cover build-up and meltdown in the simulation led to higher runoff and bioretention cell performance. Modeling results facilitated the identification of bioretention cell sites that efficiently controlled runoff during snowmelt. Such information is needed to support decision planning for BGIs in cities with cold climate.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Modeling Sediment Production In Urban Environments: Case Of Russian Cities
Not relevant to microplastics — this paper presents a mathematical model for predicting sediment accumulation in urban environments across Russian cities, finding that sediment production is 2.5 times higher in winter and closely tied to the presence of disturbed surfaces.
Blue–Green Infrastructure Effectiveness for Urban Stormwater Management: A Multi-Scale Residential Case Study
Despite its title referencing urban stormwater management, this paper studies the effectiveness of blue-green infrastructure — such as rain gardens and permeable pavements — at managing stormwater runoff from residential areas under climate change conditions. While stormwater is a major carrier of microplastics to waterways, this study focuses on hydraulic performance rather than microplastic removal, and is only tangentially relevant to the topic.
Plastic pollution risks in bioretention systems: a case study
Researchers investigated plastic pollution in urban stormwater bioretention systems and found these green infrastructure features both accumulate microplastics from road runoff and risk leaching plastic particles into groundwater, raising concerns about their role as pollution pathways.
Microplastics removal from stormwater runoff by bioretention cells: A review
This review examines the potential of bioretention cells, a type of green infrastructure, to remove microplastics from stormwater runoff. Researchers analyzed how these systems filter microplastics through soil media and vegetation and identified the key design parameters that affect removal efficiency. The study suggests that bioretention cells offer a promising nature-based solution for reducing microplastic loads entering waterways from urban areas.
Field assessment of engineered bioretention as microplastics sink through site characterization and hydrologic modeling
A field study of bioretention cells — garden-like stormwater filters used in green infrastructure — found that their soils contained 7 to 10 times more microplastics than background soils, with polypropylene and polyethylene dominating. This confirms that bioretention systems are effective at capturing microplastics from urban runoff, but it also raises questions about what happens to the accumulated plastic over time and whether it eventually leaches back into groundwater.