Introduction

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that persist in the environment, are liable to bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. The potential disorders caused by even relatively low levels of chronic exposure to POPs are thought to include reproductive and immune effects, developmental anomalies, and cancer. Due to resistance to degradation POPs have long environmental half-lives. Successive releases of these chemicals over time result in continued accumulation in the global environment.

Most POPs are of anthropogenic origin. Anthropogenic emissions are associated with industrial processes, product use and applications, waste disposal, leaks and spills, combustion of fuels, and waste incineration. Many POPs are relatively volatile, therefore their remobilization and long-distance redistribution through atmospheric pathways often complicates the identification of specific sources. As a result of the tendency of POPs to move from warmer to colder environment even the Arctic ecosystem is exposed to some POPs at levels of concern.

Over the past several years, the risks posed by POPs have become of increasing concern in many countries, resulting in actions to protect human health and the environment being taken at the national, regional and international levels. In 1998 in Aarhus (Denmark) 36 Parties to the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution CLRTAP signed the Protocol on POPs obliging them to take measures for elimination, restriction on use, and reduction of POPs emissions to the environment. In accordance with the Protocol the Parties authorize EMEP to submit to the Executive Body for the CLRTAP the information on POPs transboundary transport in European domain.

Due to POPs ability to accumulate in various natural media evaluation of contamination of the environment by POPs requires a multicompartment approach. Following the recommendations of scientific workshops [WMO, 1997, 2000] MSC-E is developing a multicompartment model for calculating the transport and accumulation of persistent organic pollutants in the atmosphere, sea water, soil and vegetation.

By June 2004 the following POPs are included into the modelling activities: PAHs (B[a]P, B[b]F, B[k]F), PCDD/Fs, PCBs, g-HCH, HCB and same new substances: HCBD, PeCB, PCN-47, a-endosulphan, dicifol.

The work on assessment of POP environmental contamination was carried out in accordance with EMEP work plan.