Atmospheric contamination, turbulent

The energy of large and medium-size eddies can be characterized by the turbulent diffusion coefficient. A, m-/s. This parameter is similar to the parameter used by Richardson to describe turbulent diffusion of clouds in the atmosphere. Turbulent diffusion affects heat and mass transfer between different zones in the room, and thus affects temperature and contaminant distribution in the room (e.g., temperature and contaminant stratification along the room height—see Chapter 8). Also, the turbulent diffusion coefficient is used in local exhaust design (Section 7.6). 

An alternative simple model for contaminant dilution of rooftop exhaust stacks is presented in Halitsky. This model combines a jet region specification for the upward exhaust movement with a more traditional Gaussian plume region controlled by atmospheric and building-generated turbulent dilution. 

Volatilization. Transfer of chemicals across the air/water interface can result in either a net gain or loss of chemical, although in many cases the bulk concentration in the air above a contaminated water body is low enough to be neglected (20). When the atmosphere is the primary source of the contaminant, as for example polychlorinated biphenyls in some parts of the Laurentian Great Lakes, atmospheric concentrations obviously cannot be neglected. The Whitman two-film or two-resistance approach (21) has been applied to a number of environmental situations (20, 22, 23). Transport across the air/water interface is viewed as a two-stage process, in which both phases of the interface can offer resistance to transport of the chemical. The rate of transfer depends on turbulence in the water body and in the atmosphere, the... 

Volatilization (also referred to as vaporization or evaporation) is the conversion of a chemical from the sohd or hquid phase to a gas or vapor phase. The partitioning of a volatile compound in the subsurface environment comprises two distinct patterns volatilization of contaminant molecules (from the liquid, sohd, or adsorbed phase) and dispersion of the resulting vapors in the subsurface gas phase or the overlying atmosphere by diffusive and turbulent mixing. Even though the two processes are fundamentally different and controlled by different chemical and environmental factors, they are not wholly independent under natural conditions only by integrating their effects can volatilization be characterized. 

Eq. 7.2, where is then the eddy diffusion coefficient (Taylor and Spencer 1990). The height of the turbulent zone, within the atmospheric boundary layer, is orders of magnitude greater than that of the laminar flow layer, and dispersion of contaminant vapors in the turbulent zone is relatively rapid. 

Contaminant volatilization from subsurface solid and aqueous phases may lead, on the one hand, to pollution of the atmosphere and, on the other hand, to contamination (by vapor transport) of the vadose zone and groundwater. Potential volatihty of a contaminant is related to its inherent vapor pressure, but actual vaporization rates depend on the environmental conditions and other factors that control behavior of chemicals at the solid-gas-water interface. For surface deposits, the actual rate of loss, or the pro-portionahty constant relating vapor pressure to volatilization rates, depends on external conditions (such as turbulence, surface roughness, and wind speed) that affect movement away from the evaporating surface. Close to the evaporating surface, there is relatively little movement of air and the vaporized substance is transported from the surface through the stagnant air layer only by molecular diffusion. The rate of contaminant volatilization from the subsurface is a function of the equilibrium distribution between the gas, water, and solid phases, as related to vapor pressure solubility and adsorption, as well as of the rate of contaminant movement to the soil surface. 

Concentrations of contaminants in the atmosphere may vary significantly from time to time due to seasonal climatic variation, atmospheric turbulence, and velocity and direction of wind. The most important meteorological factors are (1) wind conditions and the gustiness of wind, (2) the humidity and precipitation, (3) the temperature, which varies with latitude and altitude, (4) barometric pressure (varying with the height above the ground), and (5) solar radiation and the hours of sunshine, which vary with the season. 

As described above, wet and dry particle-bound deposition are likely important for the accumulation of the higher chlorinated PCDD/Fs in aerial vegetation. The accumulation of particle-bound PCDD/Fs in plants is a function of a myriad of factors. The deposition rate itself is influenced by the particle size spectrum in the atmosphere and the distribution of the PCDD/Fs on the different particle size fractions, and further by the atmospheric turbulence, the canopy and plant properties, and the frequency and intensity of precipitation. The retention of the contaminants on the plant surface depends on the degree to which the particles are permanently retained on the plant and, for those particles which are not retained, the degree of transfer of PCDD/Fs from the particles to the plant cuticle. This is a very complex system that is not yet well understood. One approach that... 

This paper is mainly a general review of turbulent atmospheric flows through canopy flows and the various mathematical and computational modelling approaches that are available. The review which is mostly non-mathematical in its presentations, is particularly relevant to urban areas because of the urgency of developing methods for dealing with accidental releases in urban areas. The dispersion of contaminants flow studies is also included in this review. We focus on dispersion from localised sources released suddenly, or over longer periods. 

In considering the volatilization of contaminants, the factors that must be considered are (a) escape from the interface, (b) diffusion through the surface boundary layer, and (c) turbulent diffusion in the atmosphere. - The escape from the surface depends mainly on the vapor pressure of the contaminant at a given temperature, the molecular weight, and Henry s coefficient. After the contaminant has escaped from the surface, it must diffuse outward in the stagnant boundary layer that is normally present. Then, the contaminant will be transported away from the stagnant layer by advection and turbulent diffusion... 

Therefore, a superadiabatic situation (Fig. 6-4), is favourable to the instability of the turbulent movements of the atmosphere and therefore it is favourable to an effective dispersion of contaminants. On the other hand, an underadiabatic situation is stable and unfavourable to dispersion (Fig. 6-5). 

When spilled on water, PCB fluids are less dense than water (density of water = 1,000 kg/m average density of PCBs = 1,500 kg/m ), such as contaminated mineral oils, will float and assume a round or pancake shape (NRC, 1979). This will subsequently be broken down into globules due to turbulence or the action of waves. On the other hand, PCB fluids heavier than water will sink and adhere to the sediments, where they will be taken up by aquatic organisms. Some of the PCB fluids that float, even though not very volatile, will evaporate into the atmosphere, depending on the wind speed, temperature, atmospheric stability, and type of fluid. 

Atmospheric processes in the boundary layer are of particular interest and importance since they directly impact contaminant concentrations in air near the surface. The text by Stull (1988) provides an excellent introduction to the meteorology of the boundary layer. Within the boundary layer, strong mechanical and thermal turbulence... 

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