Behaviour and fate of organic contaminants in soil and groundwater.

Abstract

Quantification and modelling of the mobility of organic liquids, volatilization, sorption, partition to dissolved organic C, cosolvency effects, transformation and formation of intermediates in soil are discussed, and the effects of pH, redox potential, and organic C content are emphasized. It was concluded that under local immissions there is little protection from the topsoil with respect to degradation, sorptive binding and volatilization. Organic liquids of monocyclic aromatics and mineral oil dissolve slowly from the groundwater but volatile halogenated aliphatics sink below the groundwater level becoming a lasting source of compounds dissolving in the groundwater.