Modeling the Fate and Effect of the Toxic Substances in the Environment contains the proceedings of a Symposium on "Modeling the Fate and Effect of Toxic Substances in the Environment", held on June 6-10, 1983 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and sponsored by the International Society for Ecological Modeling. The symposium provided a forum for discussing the state of the art in modeling the fate and effect of toxic substances in the environment. Topics include parameter estimation, theoretical considerations, and models of a wide variety of toxic compounds in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Comprised of 16 chapters, this volume begins with an account of parameter estimation in toxic substance models, followed by a discussion on extinction and persistence in models of population-toxicant interactions. The reader is then introduced to PATHWAY, a simulation model of the transport of radionuclides through agroecosystems. Subsequent chapters focus on possible cause-effect relationships in the dying of Germany's spruce-fir forests; application of risk and uncertainty analysis techniques to a heavy metal speciation model; the biological effects of toxicants in aquatic microcosm systems; and the dispersal and biological effect of toxins in the Tamar estuary in England. The book concludes with a description of a nonlinear mathematical model for the transport and spreading of oil slicks. This book will be useful to students, practitioners, and researchers in the field of inorganic chemistry, as well as those who are interested in the environmental effects of toxic compounds.

A uniquely accessible text on environmental modeling designed for both students and industry personnel Pollutant fate and modeling are becoming increasingly important in both regulatory and scientific areas. However,the complexity of the software and models often act as an inhibitor to the advancement of water quality science. A Basic Introduction to Pollutant Fate and Transport fills the need for a basic instructional tool for students and environmental professionals who lack the rigorous mathematical background necessary to derive the governing fate and transport equations. Taking a refreshingly simple approach to the subject that requires only a basic knowledge of algebra and first-year college chemistry, the book presents and integrates all of the aspects of fate and transport, including chemistry, modeling, risk assessment, and relevant environmental legislation; approaching each topic first conceptually before introducing the math necessary to model it. The first half of the book is dedicated to the chemistry and physics behind the fate and transport models, while the second half teaches and reinforces the logical concepts underlying fate and transport modeling. This better prepares students for support jobs in the environmental arena surrounding chemical industry and Superfund sites. Contributing to the book's ease of use are: An extremely user-friendly software program, Fate, which uses basic models to predict the fate and transport of pollutants in lakes, rivers, groundwater, and atmospheric systems The use of "canned" models to evaluate the importance of model parameters and sensitivity analysis A wealth of easy-to-understand examples and problems A chapter on environmental legislation in the United States and Europe A set of lab exercises, as well as a downloadable set of teaching aids A much-needed basic text for contemporary hydrology or environmental chemistry courses and support courses forthe environmental industry, this is a valuable desk reference for educators and industry professionals.

This volume focuses on modelling the fate of chemicals in the environment and the human body to arrive at an integrated exposure assessment. It covers five broad topics, namely: future challenges in exposure assessment; the evolution of human health and environmental risk assessment; standard documentation for exposure models; modelling different environmental components (i.e. surface waters, atmosphere, soil, groundwater, plants, aquatic organisms and mammals); and the fate of contaminants in humans. This work draws on the authors’ and editors’ extensive experience and a range of different research activities, including case studies, that have led to the development of MERLIN-Expo, a standardised software package for simulating the fate of chemicals in the main environmental systems and in the human body in an integrated manner. It will be of considerable interest to researchers and students, risk managers, and policy- and decision-makers whose work involves environmental protection and human health.

The enormous amont of parameters needed in modelling the fate of all relevant toxic substances in the environment, makes it necessary to use general parameter estimation methods. A method based upon the size of the organisms is considered and the partition coefficient presented. Based upon the method, uptake and excretion rates and concentration factors can be estimated. The theoretical background for the estimation method is discussed.