Potentiality of permeable pavements in the improvement of surface runoff quality: A review

Abstract

Surface runoff results in increased urban floods and the load of pollutants from water bodies. Increase in the load of pollutants is due to the fact that the surface runoff flows on pavements and sidewalks, and in this way to transport the pollutants deposited in these places. Percolation of the surface runoff in the permeable pavements retains pollutants through the physical, chemical and/or biological processes. This article presents the sources of pollution and the characterization of the surface runoff presented in different published studies and compares the data with fresh water classification standards (class II) and with the effluent release standards. Therefore, an overview of the impacts caused by runoff can be obtained. It is verified the changes in the surface runoff after its percolation in permeable pavements, analyzing the entire pavement or separately (coating and subbase layers). The analyzed studies demonstrated the efficiency of permeable pavements in the reduction of runoff pollutants, with values higher than 70% for the total suspended solids and removal efficiencies of more than 90% for heavy metals. The permeable pavements were also highly efficient in the removal of total phosphorus but, in general, inefficient in the removal of total nitrogen. Permeable pavements are promising devices as a strategy for surface runoff management, so studies indicated its efficiency in the filtration of effluents from acid mines and agricultural areas were studied, and the reuse of surface runoff in agriculture.