Modeling of the sorption and diffusion processes of volatile organic air pollutants in grape fruits

A mathematical model for the description of the sorption and diffusion processes of gaseous toluene and p-xylene in fruits of grape has been proposed. This model is based on the Fick's II low regarding a particle with a spherical shape (such as the berry of grapevine) and describes changes of air pollutant concentrations in different layers of the fruit, that is, the wax, peel, and pulp, during an exposure to contaminated air. The mass transfer coefficient and diffusion coefficients in the respective layers can be estimated using the experimental values. The theoretical data and the results from the exposure under steady-state laboratory conditions were compared and showed a good applicability of the proposed model for the prediction of volatile air pollutant partitioning in grape berries.