The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is home to 6.75-acre green roof, one of the largest in the United States. In addition to its role in mitigating the volume and peak flow of stormwater runoff, the green roof is becoming an urban wildlife refuge to birds, bats, and honeybees. The impact of the nesting seabirds, specifically herring gulls, on the water quality of the green roof’s runoff water was largely unknown. In this study, the chemical and biological composition of the runoff water from the green roof was analyzed and compared to rainwater precipitation. Samples of runoff and precipitation were measured for concentrations of common nutrients, such as nitrate, nitrite, phosphorus, total carbon (TC) and non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC). Total coliform, E. coli, and Enterococcus were tested via culturing assay while the quantification of potential opportunistic pathogens, including Legionellaspp., Mycobacteriumspp., Campylobacterspp., and Salmonella sp. via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). All samples were obtained from during major precipitation events over an approximately 1-year period. Although the levels of nutrients, TC, and NPOC in the runoff were higher than the rainwater, the concentrations of these chemical species were relatively low. The measured bacterial counts and concentrations of potential opportunistic pathogen in runoff samples, however, were high in the runoff samples. These results indicate that further studies are needed to more accurately assess potential public health risks associated with these elevated concentrations of bacteria and opportunistic pathogens and to determine if reducing or preventing the presence of nesting birds improves the water quality of the runoff.

Urban green roofs as new habitats for birds…and bacteria: Yearlong water quality assessment of storm water runoff of the Javits Center green roof

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.