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A Whole Cell Bioreporter Approach to Assess Transport and Bioavailability of Organic Contaminants in Water Unsaturated Systems
Published on: December 24, 2014
Modelling bioaccumulation of semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs) from air in plants based on allometric principles
Nils L L Steyaert1, Mara Hauck, Stijn W H Van Hulle
1Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Wetland and Water Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
A model was developed for gaseous plant-air exchange of semi-volatile organic compounds. Based on previous soil-plant modelling, uptake and elimination kinetics were scaled as a function of plant mass and octanol-air partition ratios. Exchange of chemicals was assumed to be limited by resistances encountered during diffusion through a laminar boundary layer of air and permeation through the cuticle of the leaf. The uptake rate constant increased and the elimination rate constant decreased with the octanol-air partition ratio both apparently levelling off at high values. Differences in kinetics between species could be explained by their masses. Validation on independent data showed that bio-concentration factors of PCBs, chlorobenzenes and other chemicals were predicted well by the model. For pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dioxins deviations occurred.
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