Site environment type – The main factor of urban road dust toxicity?

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to determine the effects of the water extracts of urban road dust (URD) samples on the growth inhibition and mortality rate of Heterocypris incongruens in various site environment type. We collected 24 samples of the road dust close to highways, main roads, crossroads as well as at other places i.e. residential area, and suburbs. We determined the selected metals (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Ti, Tl, V and Zn) content of the water extracts of these samples as well as we tested the toxicity of the water extracts of URD samples using a commercial test Ostracodtoxkit F. We observed the lowest values of the growth inhibition of H. incongruens for residential areas and suburbs (<50%). The highest growth inhibition we found for water extracts of URD samples collected at the main roads in the Katowice urban area and crossroads in the urban areas. Although the mortality and growth inhibition of H. incongruens were related to the road traffic emissions it was impossible to clearly relate this finding with the urban site category.

Keywords

• Street dust
• Elemental composition
• Heavy metals
• Ostracod
• Health hazard