Modeling the Dynamics of the Sorption of Hydrophobic Organic Chemicals to Suspended Sediments

The adsorption and desorption of hydrophobic organic chemicals to suspended sediments are often quite slow and, because of this, these finite rates of sorption must be included for accurate predictions of the transport of contaminants in surface waters in many cases. A theoretical model of adsorption and desorption which includes finite sorption rates has previously been developed and shown to be in good agreement with experimental results. However, this model generally requires quite large amounts of computer time. In the present study, a simplified but reasonably accurate version of this model is developed which requires much less computer time and is therefore suitable for large-scale calculations of the transport of contaminants in surface waters. Applications of this model are presented in order to illustrate the effects of finite sorption rates on this transport.