Projects in Environmental Systems Modelling

Head of the department: Prof. Dr. Michael Matthies

Staff members | Publications

Our research activities comprise the description and analysis of the states of the environment and its compartments, the analysis of chemical alteration processes, and the development of methods for chemical and biological exposition and risk assessments. For these purposes, mathematical and scientific modelling is performed, which targets at quantifying environmental processes and at a better understanding of environmental systems. Furthermore, modelling allows for predicting chemical exposure to humans and ecosystems on local, regional, and global scales.

A major emphasis of our scientific work lies on the validation of developed models using monitoring data for comparison. Therefore, we use geo-referenced data, and perform sensitivity and uncertainty analyses, as well. Mass balances are calculated on regional and local scales, and GIS-supported environmental information and management systems are developed.

Our projects are concerned with topics as follows:

• Analysis, modelling and simulation of chemical pollution in water, soil, air, and plants,
• Calibration and validation of the dynamic and geo-referenced exposition model for river catchments GREAT-ER,
• Multi-medial modelling of long-distance transport potentials, bioaccumulation, and environmental persistence,
• Calculation of mass and energy balances, GIS-supported environmental information and management systems,
• Risk analysis of pharmaceuticals in soils.

Funding:

Project: VOLAMOD - Field experiments in artificial streams to develop and evaluate a model approach for volatilization of hydrocarbons and other organic pollutants from natural rivers
Sponsor: Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin and Véolia AG
Duration: 1.10.2007 – 31.3.2009

Project: Georeferenced Modelling of Zinc in the Rhine catchment and selected subcatchments
Sponsor: International Zinc Association (IZA Europe)
Duration: 1.11.2006 – 30.4.2009

Project: Aquaculture - Aquaculture concepts for Uzbekistan
Sponsor: DBU (German Federal Foundation Environment)
Duration: 1.7.2006 – 30.6.2009

Project: Georeferenced Modelling of Zinc in the Ruhr catchment and analysis of emission pathways
Sponsor: Wirtschaftsvereinigung Metalle - WVM Düsseldorf
Duration: 1.9.2005 – 31.5.2006

Project: SARISK - Development of a pollutant dispersal model for risk analysis and evaluation of extreme flood events exemplifying the town and district of Bitterfeld.
Sponsor: BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Science)
Duration: 1.7.2005 – 31.5.2008

Project: DFG - For566 Veterinary pharmaceuticals in soils: basic research for risk analyses
Sponsor: DFG (German Research Foundation)
Duration: 1.7.2005 – 30.6.2008

Project: Elbe-DSS - Decision support system (DSS) to predict consequences of anthropogenic measures for the River Elbe and its floodplain
Sponsor: BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Science)
Duration: 1.7.2002 – 30.6.2005

Project: Modelling of contaminant fluxes in river catchments (GREAT-ER)
Sponsor: Umweltbundesamt (Federal Agency of Environment)
Duration: 1.1.2000 – 31.12.2002

Project: ELPOS - Criteria for persistence and long-range transport potential of pesticides and industrial chemicals
Sponsor: Umweltbundesamt (Federal Agency of Environment)
Duration: since 1.10.1999