Stormwater Management and Pollutant Removal Techniques
Summary
Stormwater management integrates hydrological, ecological and engineering strategies to mitigate the impacts of urban runoff on receiving waters. Rapid urbanisation and increasing impervious surfaces generate higher volumes and peak flows of runoff, enhancing the transport of contaminants such as suspended solids, nutrients, metals, hydrocarbons, microplastics and pathogens. Conventional approaches, including detention basins and end-of-pipe treatment, attenuate flood risk but often provide limited pollutant removal. Green infrastructure solutions—such as bioretention systems, biofilters, rain gardens, swales, permeable pavements and green roofs—combine physical sedimentation, filtration, adsorption and biological uptake to improve water quality on site. Engineered amendments, including biochar and specialised media, enhance sorption and microbial processes. Biological pathways, notably denitrification and plant-mediated uptake, transform or sequester nutrients. Chemical methods, such as coagulation and flocculation, aggregate fine particles and bound pollutants, facilitating sedimentation. Integrated design and adaptive maintenance underpin long-term performance, while system start-up dynamics, media ageing and potential leachate release remain critical research and operational challenges. Globally, these techniques contribute to sustainable urban drainage, biodiversity enhancement and regulatory compliance, emphasising multifunctional benefits across water management and ecosystem restoration.
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Stormwater Management and Pollutant Removal Techniques publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in stormwater management and pollutant removal techniques across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bioretention filter: Engineered soil-plant matrix that intercepts runoff, employing physical filtration, sorption and biological uptake to remove contaminants.
Biochar: Carbon-rich material produced by thermal decomposition of biomass, used to augment filter media for enhanced adsorption of pollutants and microbial habitat support.
Denitrification: Microbially mediated anaerobic process converting nitrate into inert nitrogen gas, permanently removing nitrogen from water.
Coagulation: Addition of chemicals to destabilise colloidal particles, promoting aggregation into larger flocs.
Flocculation: Controlled mixing process that encourages fine particles and destabilised colloids to form flocs, facilitating sedimentation and filtration.
Total suspended solids (TSS): Solid particles suspended in water that contribute to turbidity and act as carriers for adsorbed pollutants.
References
- Removal and release of microplastics and other environmental pollutants during the start-up of bioretention filters treating stormwater. Journal of Hazardous Materials (2024).
- A Review of Nitrogen Removal for Urban Stormwater Runoff in Bioretention System. Sustainability (2019).
- Biochar-augmented biofilters to improve pollutant removal from stormwater – can they improve receiving water quality?. Environmental Science Water Research & Technology (2020).
- Removal of metals and hydrocarbons from stormwater using coagulation and flocculation. Water Research (2020).
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