Non-linear parameter estimation in pesticide degradation

Abstract

Non-linearities in pesticide degradation are frequently observed. The resulting kinetic models lead to non-linear differential equations, which are in general not amenable to analytical solutions. This paper is concerned with parameter estimation in systems of non-linear ordinary differential equations and its application to typical problems in pesticide kinetics. Two worked examples — Michaelis-Menten degradation and metabolization by a growing population of microorganisms — are presented in detail. It is demonstrated, how the regression problem for a system of ordinary differential equations can be solved by means of a standard program package.