Modeling Transport and Fate of Micropollutants in Coastal Waters

In order to assess rate and risk of pollution of coastal waters, attention should be given to the input of pollutants, the transport of pollutants, the transfer of pollution between water and sediments and the impact of the different pollutants on organisms. As such an assessment generally depends on a complex interaction of various processes, an integrated modeling framework for toxic substances was developed, comprising hydrodynamic, transport and water quality, sediment accumulation, foodweb and bioaccumulation models. The approach, using available data interlinked with mathematical modeling techniques, enables a comprehensive evaluation of coastal water pollution. With such an approach it becomes possible to study the impact of various management strategies on the quality of water, sediment and biota.