Abstract
This paper aims to analyze the characteristic of Road deposited sediment (RDS) using West Chang Tan highway, Hunan, China
as a study site. RDS samples were collected at five representative highway sites and the particle size distribution was generally
less than 150μm. Particles with the grain size (<150μm) had high metal concentrations among all sampling sites (unit: mg/kg):
Cu 74-178, Zn 309-2737, Pb 601-1160, Cd 9.8-44.5. There is significant spatial variability between the sediments’ metal content
and sampling site, the variance coefficient of the five sites are 29%, 97%, 28%, 71%, respectively. In addition, Chemical
compositions of road sediments were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and their possible sources
were appraised (asphalt, brake lining materials, building materials, cement, tire dust, automobile exhaust and lubrication). This
study will be conducive to our better understanding of the characteristic of RDS and provide a theoretical research for road
sediment potential pollution caused by rainfall runoff.