Fate of hydrophobic organic pollutants in the aquatic environment: a review.

The fate of hydrophobic organic pollutants in the aquatic environment is controlled by a variety of physical, chemical and biological processes. Some of the most important are physical transport, chemical and biological transformations, and distribution of these compounds between the various environmental compartments (atmosphere, water, sediments and biota). The major biogeochemical processes that control the fate of hydrophobic organic compounds in the aquatic environment are reviewed. These processes include evaporation, solubilization, interaction with dissolved organic matter, sediment-water partitioning, bioaccumulation and degradation. Physico-chemical parameters used to predict the aquatic fate of such compounds are also discussed.