Prediction of the environmental fate and aquatic ecological impactof nitrobenzene in the Songhua River usingthe modified AQUATOX model
LEI Bingli , HUANG Shengbiao , QIAO Min , LI Tianyun , WANG Zijian
DOI:
Received February 25, 2008,Revised April 30, 2008, Accepted , Available online
Volume 20,2008,Pages 769-777
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An accidental discharge of nitrobenzene happened in November 2005 in the Songhua River, China. The AQUATOX model
was modified and adapted to simulate the time-dependent nitrobenzene distribution in this multimedia aquatic system and its
potential ecological impacts. Nitrobenzene concentrations in flowing water, sediment, and biota were predicted. Based on the initial
concentrations of nitrobenzene observed in the field during the accidental discharge, that is, 0.167–1.47 mg/L at di erent river segments,
the predicted water concentrations of nitrobenzene would be lower than 0.02 and 0.002 mg/L after twenty days and one month,
respectively. Both model prediction and field observation were in good agreement. The predicted nitrobenzene concentrations in
sediments and aquatic organisms would be lower than 0.025 and 0.002 mg/kg, respectively, after two months. Among the environmental
factors a ecting nitrobenzene concentrations in water, inflow water dilution, water temperature, and initial concentration were the most
important, by sensitivity analysis. Comparing the perturbed simulation and control simulation, the biomass changes for diatoms and
mussel were significantly a ected, whereas, no influence on other organisms could be predicted. Therefore the results indicated that
nitrobenzene pollution in the Songhua River should have a limited impact on the benthos community.
