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environmental-fate

2017-04-04 By igomoon Leave a Comment

Our model
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Calculate your environmental impact

The model only predicts the total amount of released copper, not any risks as this require information on the chemical form of released copper.

Annual rain quantity

600 mm/year

pH

0 decades

SO2-concentration

0 µg/m3

Angle of inclination

35 degrees

Predicted runoff rate: 667.27 g/m2,year

As an example, the predicted runoff rate of 667.27 g/(m2,year) is valid for a1000m2 copper roof, this equals 1828.14 g of Cu released per day.

If the predicted amount of copper runoff reaches a river that is 0.5m deep and10m from one shore to the other with a water mass flow of0.25m/sec = 108000 m3/day, the added copper concentration from the runoff water to the river is 16.93 µg Cu/L.
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Annual rain quantity 600 mm/year
?
The annual rain quantity varies typically within the range of 400-3200 mm/year depending on geographical differences. Prevailing rain characteristics influence the runoff rate. For instance, high rain intensity usually means short contact time with the copper surface, which results in lower copper runoff and vice versa.
pH 0 decades
?
Rain pH is a measure of the rain acidity. The copper runoff increases with decreasing pH and vice versa. Rain pH is, for instance, influenced by acidifying pollutants such as H2SO4 and HNO3.
SO2- concentration 0 µg/m3
?
SO2 is a known gaseous pollutant that stimulates the corrosion of copper. The SO2-concentration is often reported in parts per billion, ppb. 1 µg/m3 = 2.64 ppb
Angle of inclination 35 degrees
?
The degree of inclination from the horizontal largely affects the runoff process. The runoff depends on the projected area onto which a given rainfall volume impinges. It should be noted that the model implies no runoff from a vertical façade (α = 90°). This may not be true at real conditions due to the effect of prevailing wind conditions (not considered in the model), construction geometry and sheltering effects.
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The total copper runoff rate is not a direct measure of any environmental effect. The bio-available fraction of copper is not the same as the total released fraction.

Input data for the model is the annual rainfall quantity in mm/year, the concentration of gaseous SO2 in µg/m3, the rain pH and the surface inclination from the horizontal in degrees. Model limitations are described below and details given in selected references.

Key references:

  • Critical review: Copper runoff from outdoor copper surfaces at atmospheric conditions, Y.S. Hedberg, J.F. Hedberg, G. Herting, S. Goidanich, I. Odnevall Wallinder, Environmental Science and Technology, 48, 1372−1381 (2014)
  • Modelling and mapping of copper runoff for Europe, I. Odnevall Wallinder, B. Bahar, C. Leygraf, J. Tidblad, Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 9, 66-73 (2007)
  • Predictive models of copper runoff from external structure, I. Odnevall Wallinder, S. Bertling, X. Zhang, and C. Leygraf, Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 6, 704-712 (2004)

 

Division of Surface and Corrosion Science

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

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