Modelling the microbial breakdown of pesticides in soil using a parameter estimation technique

Abstract
Results of field measurements and laboratory experiments were used to simulate the behaviour of 1,3‐dichloropropene (1,3‐D) in a loamy sand soil. Microbial activity was described using pre‐set conditions to compute transformation rates as dependent on compound concentrations and temperature. These kinetics could only be analysed using non‐linear transformation rates. To link the development of microbial populations and the consumption of the compound over time, an iterative technique was used to estimate the necessary parameters.