Prediction of pesticide concentrations in the atmosphere using an atmospheric diffusion model (linear source plume model)

The foundational model to predict concentration of pesticides in the atmosphere outside of the sprayed area was developed using the results of measured concentration in the atmosphere, in reference to the atmospheric diffusion model utilized for the air pollution prediction model. The atmospheric diffusion model assumes that the applied area was a topographically flat farmland, that wind direction and wind speeds were constant, and the pesticide was constantly discharged from the emission line sources. Therefore the linear source plume model (LSPLM) was developed. The concentration in the atmosphere was predicted by assigning the property of the pesticides and various conditions of measurements to the model, and compared with the measured them, then the adaptability of the model was examined. As a result, the correlation between the measured value and the predicted value in paddy and forested areas was significant (P<0.01) although deviations in the order of tens were observed, the measured value and the predicted value were generally in agreement.