Release and fate modelling of highly volatile solvents in the river Main

Abstract Emission and fate of the solvents trichloroethene (abbr. TRI) and tetrachloroethene (abbr. PER) in the Northern Bavarian river Main are investigated. Under assumption of proportionality between annual consumption and average release rate the percentage emitted into the river is estimated for TRI (0.1 – 0.2 %) and PER (0.6 %) by fitting calculated to measured downstream concentrations. The elimination half lifes for the solvents due to volatilization were determined to be four to six days.