Читать книгу Global Approaches to Environmental Management on Military Training Ranges - Tracey Temple - Страница 20

It is possible to understand the behaviour of contaminants in the environment by studying contaminated environments; however, this can only be achieved after contamination has occurred. With increasing emphasis of pollution prevention in environmental law, the ability to predict and prevent environmental impact is becoming increasingly important [87]. The behaviour of contaminants in the environment, such as explosives, is affected by a multitude of interacting physical, chemical and biological processes. Therefore, controlled laboratory experiments have been developed to investigate their environmental behaviour, and are frequently used in conjunction with predictive modelling techniques to determine the potential impact of specific activities. The aim of modelling is typically to: (a) detect a site-specific problem; (b) conceptualise important features, processes and events so that proximity to receptors can best be determined (by defining the conceptual model); (c) implement a quantitative description; (d) collect and embrace field/experimental data that can be used to calibrate the model and assess its analytical assumptions; and (e) predict long term contaminant migration and transformation.