A computer model (SOFEA3) was developed and validated to simulate the 1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D) concentrations in ambient air based on grower product use data.  1,3-D is a soil fumigant used to control nematodes in high valued fruit and vegetable crops in the USA and globally.  SOFEA3 is an air dispersion modeling framework that predicts acute and chronic pesticide concentrations in air for large air sheds resulting from representative agronomic practices, and has recently been updated to include AERMOD in lieu of ISCST3 as the air dispersion model.  A recent validation study indicated that SOFEA3, with AERMOD, overcame the limitations of SOFEA2 (with ISCST3) by more realistically estimating the atmospheric mixing heights, and thereby more accurately predicted 1,3-D concentrations during calm (stable air) periods.  A consequence analysis was conducted to compare the differences between SOFEA2 and SOFEA3 and showed that SOFEA3, when using AERMOD in lieu of ISCST3 as the air dispersion model, improves the prediction of observed 1,3-D concentrations during calm periods.  The improved model performance under calm conditions is related to the more sophisticated parameterization of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) dynamics and obviates the need for adjustment of the mixing heights in the processed weather file, as was required when the ISCST3 model was used.  SOFEA3 is being used to simulate 1,3-D concentrations in four high fumigant demand areas in the USA, the Southwest, Pacific Northwest, mid-Atlantic coastal states, and the Southeast coastal plain.  Modeled 1,3-D concentrations in ambient air will be used to assess human exposure and risk.<br/>

SOFEA3 modeling of 1,3-Dichloropropene concentrations in ambient air

254th National Meeting (2017)

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