A Model to Predict the Steady-State Concentration of Hydroxyl Radicals in the Surface Layer of Natural Waters

A model was developed to predict the steady-state [^˙OH] in the surface layer of natural waters as a function of nitrate, inorganic carbon (IC) and dissolved organic matter (DOM). The parameter values were studied in the range detected in shallow high-mountain lakes, to which the model results are most relevant. Calculations indicate that [^˙OH] increases with increasing nitrate and decreasing IC, and conditions are also identified where [^˙OH] is directly proportional, inversely proportional or independent of DOM. Based on the model results it is possible to predict the half-life time, due to reaction with ^˙OH, of given dissolved compounds, including organic pollutants, from the water composition data.