Formulation of a soil-pesticide transport model based on a compartmental approach

J Contam Hydrol. 2002 May;56(1-2):1-24. doi: 10.1016/s0169-7722(01)00201-7.

Abstract

A semianalytical soil-pesticide transport model is formulated based on a compartmental approach to determine spatial and temporal variations of pesticide residues across a soil profile. The compartmental model is implemented by drawing an analogy between a series of continuous-flow stirred tank reactors and a soil horizon that consists of multiple perfectly mixed compartments. The analogy is strengthened by exploiting a relation between the compartment series and the conventional convective-dispersive equation (CDE) for vertical transport in the soil. Consequently, the number of compartments in the model formulation is not free, but dictated as a function of transport parameters. The model formulation allows consideration of arbitrary boundary value specifications and also, for some cases, spatially varying initial concentration profiles. Sorption kinetics is represented via a two-site model that involves a linear sorption isotherm and a first-order irreversible sorption or a radial diffusive penetrating model. For these three cases, analysis of the compartmental model allows the resultant concentration profiles to be expressed in terms of the Poisson distribution. When a nonlinear kinetic sorption model is used to simulate the sorption processes, an analytical solution is not found and a numerical approach is required.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Atrazine*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Herbicides*
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Poisson Distribution
  • Soil Pollutants*

Substances

  • Herbicides
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Atrazine