Granulometry of Particulate Matter Recovered from Roadway Systems in Puglia, Italy

Human activities such as vehicular transportation generate a hetero-disperse size gradation of particulate matter (PM). While, very fine PM can be widely dispersed from the air-pavement interface, coarse PM is primarily dry deposited on or along the periphery of the pavement. Vehicular traffic and rainfall-runoff mobilize PM that range from gravel-size (> 2000 μm) to colloidal-size (< 1 μm). This study focuses on a granulometric-based analysis of the PM collected from Bari and Taranto located in Puglia, Italy. PM greater than 25 μm was mechanically separated to determine the particle size distribution (PSD) and particle number density (PND). The PSD and PND were modeled through the gamma distribution function and power law function. Granulometric and model results are required as inputs for predictive models of the transport and fate of PM whether from traditional or permeable pavements. Given that a significant fraction of chemicals, for example metals, organics or nutrients can be particulate-bound, the characterization of PSD and PND are also required when examining partitioning and transport/fate of chemical loads. Results of this study also contribute to the database examining source area PM loading granulometry and impact on source area water chemistry and the commensurate treatment strategy viability.