Publication details
Impact of the regional climate and substance properties on the fate and atmospheric long-range transport of persistent organic pollutants - examples of DDT and gamma-HCH
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/6/1231/2006/acp-6-1231-2006.pdf |
| Field | Environment influence on health |
| Keywords | persistent organic pollutants regional climate intercontinental transport |
| Description | A global multicompartment model which is based on a 3D atmospheric general circulation model (ECHAM5) coupled to 2D soil, vegetation and sea surface mixed layer reservoirs, is used to simulate the atmospheric transports and total environmental fate of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and gammahexachlorocyclohexane (gammaHCH, lindane). Emissions into the model world reflect the substance's agricultural usage in 1980 and 1990 and same amounts in sequential years are applied. Four scenarios of DDT usage and atmospheric decay and one scenario of gammaHCH are studied over a decade. The global environment is predicted to be contaminated by the substances within ca. 2a (years). Although the atmosphere accounts for only 1% of the total contaminant burden, transport and transformation in the atmosphere is key for the distribution in other compartments. Hence, besides the physicochemical properties of pollutants the location of application (entry) affects persistence and accumulation emphasizing the need for georeferenced exposure models. |
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