Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are persistent, bioaccumulating, toxic chemicals with a potential for long-range transport. POPs can be exchanged between all environmental media, and a range of dynamic processes thus determines their environmental fate. Therefore it is a challenge to include POPs in model studies since the processes are not all fully understood in detail. Traditionally, the environmental fate of POPs has been modeled using multi compartment mass-balance models, whereas in recent years atmospheric chemistry-transport models have also been applied. These two ways of modeling the environmental fate of POPs will be briefly described and an example of a study of the environmental fate of α-hexachlorocyclohexane using an atmospheric chemistry transport model in a study will be given. The model is shown to simulate the atmospheric concentrations and variability on both the short and long term of one of the most abundant POPs with an acceptable accuracy. However, there are still several environmental processes that are not fully understood. This is a further challenge for environmental POP modeling studies and recommendations for future research is therefore outlined.
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Hansen*, K.M. et al. (2008). Overview Of Pops In The Environment: Modeling Their Distribution And Spread. In: Barnes, I., Kharytonov, M.M. (eds) Simulation and Assessment of Chemical Processes in a Multiphase Environment. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8846-9_18
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