Stormwater pond sediments and water—characterization and assessment.

Stormwater pond sediments were collected from four stormwater ponds in Sweden and analysed for heavy metal, water and organic material content. The sediment characteristics were evaluated, and differences between and within the ponds are presented and discussed. An assessment of the water and sediment quality was also carried out. The results show that the metal content does not vary much between or within the ponds. The copper content is significantly higher than reported in earlier studies and copper is the critical metal for the ecological status of the ponds. The quality of pond sediment is comparable with sewage sludge or urban stream sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]