When modelling the fate of chemicals in the environment and human exposure to these pollutants, the importance of spatial variations are not commonly taken into account.
Modelled regions are often the size of countries like Japan, even continents such as Europe.
The ability of such simplistic models to provide realistic estimates of contaminant concentrations and human exposures to such pollutants remains questionable. Calculation of environmental concentrations and human exposure patterns within Europe using emission patterns for chemicals such as PCBs. Comparison with field measurements and with the results of simplistic models. The results of these models will be combined and then evaluated. An existing multi-region, multimedia model facilitates the consideration of transport of pollutants between environmental compartments such as air, water, soil and sediment.