The aim of the PERSPEC project is to compile current knowledge         
on how atmospheric and hydrological processes influence the mobilisation         
of contaminants to, within, and from soils.         
         
The focus is on priory substances according to the European Water         
Framework Directive (WFD) such as metals (e.g. mercury, lead and         
aluminium), and persistent organic pollutants (POPs; e.g. polycyclic         
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), brominated diphenylethers, chlorophenols,         
chlorobenzenes, PCBs and dioxins).         
         
Metals and organic contaminants have often been studied separately         
in the past, mainly due to their different chemical properties.         
However, in the environment they coexist and are subject to the         
same environmental processes.         
         
By including both metals and organic contaminants in the same research         
framework, differences as well as similarities in their environmental         
fate and response to climate factors will become apparent,         
and different scenarios may be explored. 
            

The primary objective of the PERSPEC project is to:         
         
• Deliver a compilation of current knowledge regarding soil         
system processes with focus on contaminant mobilisation;         
         
• Gather data from a well defined background level system;         
         
• Produce predictions of contaminant mobilisation by using         
state-of-the-art modelling tools;         
         
• Identify key processes and parameters needed to expand         
the necessary knowledge and improve the models.