ABSTRACT
This chapter describes principles, concepts, uses, and limitations of state-of-knowledge mathematical pollutant fate modeling related to hydrocarbon environmental contamination. Mathematical environmental modeling primarily refers to the terrestrial environment and secondarily to other environmental media such as air and water. The traditional differential equation modeling employing convection-dispersion mass transport differential equations has given way to more sophisticated approaches to explain physicochemical and biochemical processes in soil systems via com-partmental modeling, stochastic modeling and other techniques. The increasing use of quantitative computer models has placed a new burden upon decisionmakers in their review of environmental decisions based on modeling. This burden is a part of the new era in environmental decisionmaking, and reflects the increasing involvement of scientific and technical issues in legal decisions. The problems arising from the use of an environmental model in regulatory practice are twofold. First, it may actually increase the likelihood that a substantially incorrect decision will be reached.
