The hydrophobicity of a compound can give scientists an indication of how easily a compound might be taken up in groundwater to pollute waterways, and its toxicity to animals and aquatic life. Partition coefficient can also be used to predict the mobility of radionuclides in groundwater. In the field of hydrogeology, the octanol–water partition coefficient K is used to predict and model the migration of dissolved hydrophobic organic compounds in soil and groundwater.