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2. Aims and objectives
The aim of the PERSPEC project is to compile current knowledge on how atmospheric and hydrological processes influence the mobilisation
of contaminants to, within, and from soils.
The focus is on priory substances according to the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) such as metals (e.g. mercury, lead and
aluminium), and persistent organic pollutants (POPs; e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), brominated diphenylethers, chlorophenols,
chlorobenzenes, PCBs and dioxins).
Metals and organic contaminants have often been studied separately in the past, mainly due to their different chemical properties.
However, in the environment they coexist and are subject to the same environmental processes.
By including both metals and organic contaminants in the same research framework, differences as well as similarities in their environmental
fate and response to climate factors will become apparent, and different scenarios may be explored.
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3. Research activities
The primary objective of the PERSPEC project is to:
- Deliver a compilation of current knowledge regarding soil system processes with focus on contaminant mobilisation;
- Gather data from a well defined background level system;
- Produce predictions of contaminant mobilisation by using state-of-the-art modelling tools;
- Identify key processes and parameters needed to expand the necessary knowledge and improve the models.
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4. Research location
The PERSPEC project will profit from the results obtained at the Krycklan catchment study. Krycklan is a catchment area with little
human impact where long-term hydrological and biogeochemical monitoring has been conducted in combination with 30 years of
process based research, thereby allowing the effects of climate change on contaminant mobilisation in soils to be explored.
The findings from this study will be applicable to a wide variety of north European catchment systems and will provide an integrated,
process-based understanding of base-line contamination of major catchments from "atmosphere to estuary".
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5. Dissemination highlights
A workshop will be organised (preliminary held at Lancaster University,
UK) at the end of the project where the deliverables of the
PERSPEC project will be presented, alongside with computed models.
Information about the PERPSEC project will be made available on
EUGRIS - the web portal for soil and water management in Europe
(http://www.eugris.info/),
the Krycklan website (http://ccrew.sek.slu.se/)
, and the respective project partners? websites.
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6. Perspectives
Soil system processes and the mobilisation of contaminants in soil are connected to the hydrological conditions and processes of the
soil. Consequently, there is a lot to gain from combining the scientific expertise from countries that share soil, hydrological and climate
attributes and in this respect are likely to be affected similarly by future changes.
We sincerely hope that the PERSPEC project can function as a starting point for such a gathering of researchers and that the outcome
of the PERSPEC project may provide valuable input in future strategic research activities within the European Union.
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6. Results
The project just past its midterm. The midterm report is under evaluation by the SNOWMAN Call Steering Committee.
As soon as it is approved, first results will be implemented into this page.
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