Comparing estimates of persistence and long-range transport potential among multimedia models

Kathrin Fenner (1, 2) , Martin Scheringer (1) , Matthew Macleod (3) , Michael Matthies (4) , Thomas E. Mckone (3) , Maximilian Stroebe (1) , Andreas Beyer (5) , Mark Bonnell (6) , Anne-Christine Le Gall (7) , Jörg Klasmeier (4) , Donald Mackay (8) , Dik van de Meent (9) , David Pennington (10) , Bernd Scharenberg (11) , Noriyuki Suzuki (12) , Frank Wania (13)

1 Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
2 Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology
3 ESD - Earth Science Division [LBNL Berkeley]
4 Institute of Environmental Systems Research [Osnabrück]
5 New Chemicals Evaluation Division
6 New Chemicals Evaluation Division
7 INERIS - Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques
8 Canadian Environmental Modelling Centre
9 Center for Substances and Integrated Risk Assessement
10 IES - JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability
11 Übergreifende Angelegenheiten der Luftreinhaltung
12 NIES - National Institute for Environmental Studies
13 Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences [Toronto]

Overall persistence (P-ov) and long-range transport potential (LRTP) of organic chemicals are environmental hazard metrics calculated with multimedia fate and transport models. Since there are several models of this type, it is important to know whether and how different model designs (model geometry, selection of compartments and processes, process descriptions) affect the results for P., and LRTP. Using a set of 3175 hypothetical chemicals covering a broad range of partition coefficients and degradation half-lives, we systematically analyze the P-ov and LRTP results obtained with nine multimedia models. We have developed several methods that make it possible to visualize the model results efficiently and to relate differences in model results to mechanistic differences between models. Rankings of the hypothetical chemicals according to P-ov and LRTP are highly correlated among models and are largely determined by the chemical properties. Domains of chemical properties in which model differences lead to different results are identified, and guidance on model selection is provided for model users.

Domains: Environmental Sciences

Kathrin Fenner, Martin Scheringer, Matthew Macleod, Michael Matthies, Thomas E. Mckone, et al.. Comparing estimates of persistence and long-range transport potential among multimedia models. Environmental Science and Technology, 2005, 39 (7), pp.1932-1942. ⟨10.1021/es048917b⟩. ⟨ineris-00962944⟩