Application of the Peat Archive as Tool in Environmental Chemistry (APATEC)

• Applicant: Dr. Michael Radke
• Subject Area: Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Limnology, Urban Water Management, Water Chemistry, Integrated Water Resources Management
• Term: from 2007 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 33483586

• Final Report Year: 2011

Final Report Abstract

With respect to the overall aims of the project, the results show that peat profiles provide a reliable estimate of PAH and some metals (those which are redox-insensitive and do not accumulate at the water table) deposition time trends. This is not the case for PBDE and PCB which seem to redistribute along the peat profiles. The results highlight also for the first time the limitations of the peat archive with respect to temporal resolution and quantitative interpretation of the results. Given the uncertainty in the range of up to 70 % standard deviation, quantitative estimates should be interpreted with care. Through the determination of measured CTDs for several PAHs, we also contribute to the validation of models used for assessing the long-range transport of atmospheric contaminants. Overall, we conclude that this project contributed substantially to our understanding of possibilities and limits of the peat archive as tool in environmental chemistry. Based on our findings, the peat archive is a valuable tool for the reconstruction of historic PAH deposition rates, especially if no lakes are available or accessible.

Publications

• Comparison of the characteristic travel distance calculated by the OECD model "The Tool" and measured values using peat bogs as passive samplers. SETAC North America 30th Annual Meeting 2009
  Thüns, S; Radke, M; Wania, F; Blodau, C
  
• Comparison of the characteristic travel distance calculated by the OECD model “The tool” and measured values using peat bogs as passive samplers. SETAC Europe 2010
  Thüns, S; Radke, M; Wania, F; Blodau, C
  
• Monitoring deposition rates of organic pollutants in Ontario using peat bogs as passive samplers. SETAC Europe 2010
  Thüns, S; Radke, M; Blodau, C
  
• Comparison of the characteristic travel distances calculated by two fate and transport models to measured values using peat bogs as passive samplers. 2nd Young Environmental Scientists Meeting, Aachen 2011
  Thüns, S; Radke, M; Wania, F; Blodau, C