Please note that this session was withdrawn and is no longer available in the respective programme. This withdrawal might have been the result of a merge with another session.

HS8.1.3 | PICO
Challenging and emerging pollutants in unsaturated and saturated zones in the subsurface – Experimental and modeling studies as well as remediation strategies
Convener: Fritjof Fagerlund | Co-convener: Tissa Illangasekare

Groundwater is an important source of water that needs to be protected for its long-term sustainability as reliable supply for drinking water and other applications. This resource is increasingly being threatened by both older persistent contaminants and new or emerging pollutants entering the subsurface. Examples of emerging chemical contaminants are per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs), which recently have been identified as a worldwide threat to both subsurface and surface water resources due to their high persistence in the environment and their potential toxicity even at very low (ng/L range) concentrations. Effective strategies to protect water resources from emerging contaminants such as PFASs are still lacking because the basic processes that contribute to their persistence and mobility in soil-water environments are poorly understood. Innovative experimental studies in conjunction with modeling are urgently needed to fill these knowledge gaps to asses risks and develop remediation schemes.
This session welcomes experimental and modelling studies on the mobility and fate of these challenging and emerging contaminants in unsaturated and saturated subsurface soil and groundwater systems, including remediation methods and risk assessment. This session will also consider abstracts focusing on other persistent organic pollutants, metals etc.