Chemical Fate Defined for an Arbitrary Compartment

The phrase environmental chemical fate and transport is in common use. Although not precisely defined, it generally refers to the eventual demise and/or final location of anthropogenic chemicals in nature following their introduction and movement within and across the various media surface and compartments. Fate in this use is often construed to mean reactive degradation, ultimate and complete elimination Irom the natiue or some similar final ending. Nevertheless, the usage and implication is that chemical fate and transport are two different concepts that can be disconnected. Its use in this way can be misinterpreted or misrepresented however, use of the CE produces a precise definition of fate and clarifies the situation. 

At this juncture, a conceptual application of Equation 2.1 for an arbitrary environmental compartment space will provide a convenient definition and description of the commonly used term chemical fate. In addition, it will clearly distinguish the role of transport in relation to chemical fate. Once the geometric dimensions 

Compartmental or media box models offer an alternative practical approach. They are derived from applying integrated forms of the CE. These involve volume and area integrals over the boxes. The volume integrals sum the mass accumulation and reaction terms while the area integrals direct the flux terms to account for the movement of chemicals between the boxes. Typically, the result is a set of linear ordinary differential equations capable of mathematically mimicking many of the key dynamic and other features of the chemodynamics in natural systems. This handbook provides the mass transport parameters needed for both model types. 

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