Integration of an atmospheric dispersion model with a dynamic multimedia fate model: Development and illustration
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Davide Ghirardello; Antonio Di Guardo; Melissa Morselli; Matteo Semplice; Giuseppe Raspa
- Source
- Environmental Pollution. 164:182-187
- Subject
- Point source
Planetary boundary layer
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Context (language use)
boundary layer
pah
Toxicology
Atmospheric sciences
Air Pollution
aermod
diel variation
fugacity
Model development
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
AERMOD
Hydrology
Air Pollutants
Volatile Organic Compounds
Atmosphere
Advection
General Medicine
Atmospheric dispersion modeling
Pollution
Boundary layer
Models, Chemical
Environmental science
Environmental Monitoring
- Language
- ISSN
- 0269-7491
Growing attention is devoted to understand the influence of the short-term variations in air concentrations on the environmental fate of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These variations are ascribable to factors such as temperature-mediated air-surface exchange and variability of planetary boundary layer (PBL) height and structure. But when investigating the fate of SVOCs at a local scale, further variability can derive from specific point source contributions. In this context, a new modeling approach (AirPlus) which integrates a previously developed model (AirFug) with an air dispersion model (AERMOD) is presented. The integrated model is illustrated for two PAHs in a Northern Italy scenario. Results show how chemical contributions deriving from background advective inflows, local emissions and a point source interact in an hourly-varying meteorological scenario to determine air concentration rapid changes and the consequent response of the soil compartment.