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Contribution Details

Type Journal Article
Scope Discipline-based scholarship
Title Representation, Propagation, and Interpretation of Uncertain Knowledge in Dynamic Probabilistic Material Flow Models
Organization Unit
Authors
  • Nikolaus A Bornhöft
  • Bernd Nowack
  • Lorenz Hilty
Item Subtype Original Work
Refereed Yes
Status Published in final form
Language
  • English
Journal Title Environmental Modeling & Assessment
Publisher Springer
Geographical Reach international
ISSN 1420-2026
Volume 26
Number 3
Page Range 8360
Date 2021
Abstract Text The determination of the environmental concentration of a pollutant is a crucial step in the risk assessment of anthropo‐ genic substances. Dynamic probabilistic material flow analysis (DPMFA) is a method to predict flows of substances to the environment that can be converted into environmental concentrations. In cases where direct quantitative measurements of concentrations are impossible, environmental stocks are predicted by reproducing the flow processes creating these stocks in a mathematical model. Incomplete parameter knowledge is represented in the form of stochastic distributions and propa‐ gated through the model using Monte Carlo simulation. This work discusses suitable means for the model design and the representation of system knowledge from several information sources of varying credibility as model parameter distributions, further evaluation of the simulation outcomes using sensitivity analyses, and the impacts of parameter uncertainty on the total uncertainty of the simulation output. Based on a model developed in a case study of carbon nanotubes in Switzerland, the modeling process, the representation and interpretation of the simulation results are described and approaches to sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are demonstrated. Finally, the overall approach is summarized and provided in the form of a set of modelling and evaluation rules for DPMFA studies.
Free access at Official URL
Official URL https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10666-021-09775-5
Digital Object Identifier 10.1007/s10666-021-09775-5
Other Identification Number merlin-id:21231
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