The Canadian

Centre for Environmental Modelling and Chemistry

ChemCAN model of chemical fate in Canada

Version 4.95 (16-bit) - May 1996

ChemCAN is a Visual Basic Level III model of 24 regions of Canada which was written for Health Canada.

Data on the regions of Canada were updated on November 4, 1997.

It estimates average concentrations in air, fresh surface water, fish, sediments, soils, vegetation, and marine near-shore waters. It is intended to assist in human exposure assessment. Other regions can be defined by the user and added to the database, however, areas should have a radius of at least 300 km. For investigations involving smaller areas, air dispersion will dominate and a plume model may be more appropriate.

A paper describing this model is in progress.

All input fields MUST be filled even if they will not be used. The required input data are:

Regional Data (if not chosen from regions of Canada database):

  • dimensions of the environment

    • - total surface area
    - % water cover by area
    - length of coastline for maritime regions
    - average air height
    - average water depth
    - average soil depth
    - average sediment depth
    - average coastal water depth

  • volume fractions for subcompartments

    • - particles in air
    - particles in water
    - fish
    - air in soil
    - water in soil
    - soil solids
    - sediment pore water
    - sediment solids

  • fraction of organic carbon in

    • - particles in water
    - soil solids
    - sediment solids

  • air and water residence times


  • a temperature regime (winter, summer or annual average)


  • transport velocities

    • - air side air-water mass transfer coefficient
    - water side air-water mass transfer coefficient
    - rain rate
    - aerosol deposition
    - soil air phase diffusion mass transfer coefficient
    - soil water phase diffusion mass transfer coefficient
    - soil air boundary layer mass transfer coefficient
    - sediment-water mass transfer coefficient
    - sediment deposition
    - sediment resuspension
    - soil water runoff
    - soil solids runoff
    - sediment burial
    - diffusiion to stratosphere
    - leaching from soil

    Chemical Properties:
  • chemical name
  • molecular mass
  • data collection temperature
  • melting point
  • water solubility
  • vapour pressure
  • log Kow
  • reaction half-lives in air, water, soil, and sediment

    • Emission Rates:

  • emissions to any or all of air, water, soil, and sediment
  • background inflow concentrations in air and water


    • Model output includes:

  • partition coefficients
  • Z and D values
  • residence times
  • concentrations and fugacities in each compartment
  • transfer and transformation rates
  • a summary diagram


    • This program is only available in compiled form. The equations are the same as those in the Level III fugacity model if you require them. To run this program you will need a computer running either MS Windows 3.1 or Windows 95. The zipped file is 759KB and is self-expanding to about 2.36 MB.

    Please read the CHEMCAN SOFTWARE LICENSE before downloading the software. Use of the software constitutes your agreement to abide by the terms and conditions set out in the license agreement.

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    Last updated August 12, 2011.