National Status and Trends: Guanica, Puerto Rico Contaminants Data

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
National Status and Trends: Guanica, Puerto Rico Contaminants Data
Abstract:
This project assesses chemical contaminant status in sediment and coral tissues (Porites astroides) collected in and around Guanica Bay, Puerto Rico in 2009. Parameters monitored include sediment and coral tissue chemistry for over 100 organic and inorganic contaminants; and Clostridium perfringens (pathogen) concentrations. NOAA's National Status and Trends program regularly quantifies PAHs, PCBs, chlorinated pesticides including DDT and its metabolites, TBT and its metabolites, and trace elements nationwide.
Supplemental_Information:
The units that these parameters are stored in is: percentage for grain size data, in ug/dry g for trace metals, in ng Sn/dry g for butyltin data and in ng/dry g for everything else. The latitude and longitude is measured using datum NAD83. The QA/QC file including Procedural Blanks, Duplicates, Matrix Spikes, Matrix Spike Duplicates and Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) are available upon request.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA), 20130301, National Status and Trends: Guanica, Puerto Rico Contaminants Data: NOAA's Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Silver Spring, MD.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS David Whitall, NOAA Ocean Service-National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science(NCCOS) (NCCOS) SAMPLE COLLECTION INVESTIGATORS David Whitall, NOAA Ocean Service-National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Andrew Mason, NOAA Ocean Service-National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) PROCESSING INVESTIGATORS TDI Brooks International, Inc.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -66.99908581
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -66.87956469
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 17.99945989
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 17.90481122
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 04-Jun-2009
    Ending_Date: 09-Jun-2009
    Currentness_Reference: ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
    Data Dictionary for the "BAsites" File: SITES http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/dictionaries/ba_sites_dictionary.aspx

    Data Dictionary for all "BA and MW Chemistry" Files: Chem http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/dictionaries/ba_mw_chemistry_dictionary.aspx

    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: National Status and Trends Program

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    This data set was developed by National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA)
    Attn: David Whitall
    Principal Investigator/Senior Scientist
    1305 East West Highway, N/SCI-1
    Silver Spring, MD

    301-713-3028 Ext:138 (voice)
    dave.whitall@noaa.gov

Why was the data set created?

The main objectives of this project were to assess the spatial variability in contaminant concentrations in and around Guanica Bay in around to identify any pollution hotspots and to establish a baseline against which future change can be measured.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 31-Mar-2010 (process 1 of 3)
    Data Acquisition:The sample collection methods used by NOAA and NOAA contractor field crews will be described here.Sampling Objective:Coral tissue samples (Porites astroides) are collected for the analysis of trace element and organic chemical constituents. Samples are collected with a titanium punch and hammer; the punch is cleaned with acetone between sites to prevent contamination between sites. Following sampling, samples are placed in pre-cleaned glass jars, then packed in ice or dry ice and shipped to the laboratory. Sediment Collection Methods Summary:Multiple sediment grabs were collected from each site using a ponar grab sampler. Each grab was nominally 440 cm2 in area and up to 10 cm in depth, but only the top two to three centimeter section of a grab was retained for the chemical analyses. Multiple grabs were processed until sufficient sediment were collected. Any large organisms encountered were removed, but otherwise the sample included resident organisms. Sediment samples were separated into two fractions for storage until analysis. One fraction was frozen and used in the chemical analysis reported in this file, and for the total organic carbon and percent moisture parameters. Sampling Platform: Samples were collected from a gasoline powered boats (Aquanauta). Sampling Equipment: A 1/25 m2, stainless steel Young-modified Van Veen grab sampler was used to collect sediments. Sample Collection: Calibration: The sampling gear does not require any calibration, although it was inspected daily for wear and damage.Sample Collection: Quality Control: Care was taken to minimize disturbance to the sediment grabs. Grabs that were incomplete, slumped, less than 7 cm in depth, or comprised chiefly of shelly substrates were discarded. The chance of sampling the same location was minimized by repositioning the boat (five meters downstream) after three sampling attempts.Sample Collection: References Apeti, D.A., S.I. Hartwell, W.E. Johnson and G.G. Lauenstein. 2012. National Status and Trends Bioeffects Progam: Field Methods. NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment. NOAA NCCOS Technical Memorandum 135. Silver Spring, MD.27 pp.
    Date: 14-Sep-2011 (process 2 of 3)
    Data Preparation and Sample Processing:Sample Processing Objective:Sediment and tissue samples were analyzed for metals, butyltins, PAHs, PCBs, PBDEs and organochlorine-pesticides.Methods Summary:All organic samples were analyzed by scientists from TDI-Brooks in College Station, TX. Cold vapor atomic absorption for the analysis of Hg using a modified version of EPA method 245.6. Inorganic analyses were performed by scientists at the Trace Element Research Lab (TERL) at Texas A&M University (TAMU). The analytical instruments used by TAMU were GFAA for As, Cd, Ni, Pb, and Se; flame atomic absorption (FAA) for Zn; and both GFAA and FAA for Cu, depending on the concentration present. Since 2000 As and Se have been analyzed by atomic fluorescence spectrometry; As has also been analyzed by ICP-optical emission spectrometry (ICP/OEP). ICP/OEP is also used to determine Cu, Ni and Zn while ICP/MS is used for Cd, Ni and Pb. The current analytical laboratory digestion process for inorganics sequentially adds nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide to Teflon bombs to achieve sample dissolution of all but Hg samples. Organic chemical extractions consisted of three extractions with dichloromethane using a tissumizer. After concentration by solvent evaporation and exchange of dichloromethane with hexane, the tissue extract was fractionated by alumina:silica chromatography. The aromatic fraction eluted from the column with 1:1 pentane: dichloromethane was further purified by removing lipids through chromatography on a Sephadex column. Since 1988, this purification has been accomplished via an HPLC procedure. Organic sample extraction since 2000 remains similar to that of previous years but Hydromatrix is used to dry tissue samples and dichloromethane is the only solvent used in accelerated solvent extractor cells. Extracts are purified using alumina/silica gel chromatography followed by high performance liquid chromatography. Purified extracts were chromatographed on 30-m DB-5 fused silica capillary columns. A second column (DB-17HT) has also been used for chlorinated hydrocarbon confirmation. Chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations were quantified using an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). For polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons analysis has been by GC-MSD in the selected ion mode (SIM). For butyltin analyses, anhydrous homogenized tissue was extracted with either hexane or dichloromethane. The extracts underwent Grignard reactions by addition of hexylmagnesium bromide. Florisil/silica gel or silica alumina column chromatography were used to separate the analytes.Calibration:The analytical instruments were calibrated by standard laboratory procedures including: constructing calibration curves, running blank and spiked quality control samples, and analyzing standard reference materials.Quality Control:Each batch of sediment and tissue samples was accompanied by QC analyses consisting of method blanks, matrix spikes, matrix spike duplicates, and standard reference materials (SRMs). In total, approximately 5% of all analyses were QC analyses. Processing quality was considered acceptable if the following criteria were met: blanks were less than three times the minimum detection limit; accuracy, as determined by analysis of certified reference materials, was within 30% for organic analytes and within 15% for inorganic analytes; and precision, as determined by replicate analyses, was within 30% for organic analytes and within 15% for inorganic analytes. Additional specifications and guidelines are presented in Cantillo and Lauenstein (1998).All laboratories annually participate in annual intercalibration exercise where common samples are analyzed by them, by other laboratories, and by a lead laboratory for the exercise. The lead laboratory for trace element intercalibrations has been the National Research Council of Canada and that for trace organic analysis has been the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
    Date: Unknown (process 3 of 3)
    Project related references: Kimbrough, K.L., G.G. Lauenstein, and W.E. Johnson. 2007. Organic Contaminant Analytical Methods of the National Status and Trends Program: Update 2000-2006, NOAA Technical Memorandum, NOS NCCOS 30. 22 Apr. 2008 http://www.ccma.nos.noaa.gov/publications/organicsmethods.pdf. Kimbrough, K.L., and G.G. Lauenstein. 2007. Major and Trace Element Analytical Methods of the National Status and Trends Program: 2000-2006, NOAA Technical Memorandum, NOS NCCOS 29. 22 Apr 2008 http://www.ccma.nos.noaa.gov/publications/nsandtmethods.pdf.

    McDonald, S. J., D. S. Frank, J. A. Ramirez, B. Wang, and J. M. Brooks. 2006. Ancillary Methods of the National Status and Trends Program: Update 2000-2006, NOAA Technical Memorandum, NOS NCCOS 28. 22Apr. 2008 http://www2.coastalscience.noaa.gov/publications/handler.aspx?resource=3Qy6dD5SKzp6qSIbiw0zZm3IfEn1ajewncp0CWu+1Oc=

    Apeti, D.A., S.I. Hartwell, W.E. Johnson and G.G. Lauenstein. 2012. National Status and Trends Bioeffects Progam: Field Methods. NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Asssessment. NOAA NCCOS Technical Memorandum 135. Silver Spring, MD.27 pp. http://www2.coastalscience.noaa.gov/publications/detail.aspx?resource=kXUVxxA8LH64JetFFum2pA6CRM0NB9yNGhLpzqLyij4=

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    The measurement quality objectives of NS&T specify accuracy and precision requirements of 30% for organic analytes and 15% for inorganic analytes in sediment and tissue samples. QA procedures include running blanks, spiked samples, and standard reference materials with each batch of samples. Any batch failing to meet the specifications is reanalyzed or rejected. The QA Criteria may be found in NOAAs Tech Memo 71, and Tech Memo 130.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    This dataset is complete.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    The analytical instruments were calibrated by standard laboratory procedures including: constructing calibration curves, running blank and spiked quality control samples, and analyzing standard reference materials. Each batch of sediment and tissue samples was accompanied by QC analyses consisting of method blanks, matrix spikes, matrix spike duplicates, and standard reference materials (SRMs). In total, approximately 5% of all analyses were QC analyses. Processing quality was considered acceptable if the following criteria were met: blanks were less than three times the minimum detection limit; accuracy, as determined by analysis of certified reference materials, was within 30% for organic analytes and within 15% for inorganic analytes; and precision, as determined by replicate analyses, was within 30% for organic analytes and within 15% for inorganic analytes. Additional specifications and guidelines are presented in Valente and Strobel (1993).

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
NOAA requests that all individuals who download NOAA data acknowledge the source of these data in any reports, papers, or presentations. If you publish these data, please include a statement similar to: Some or all of the data described in this article were produced by the NOAA's National Ocean Service through its National Status and Trends Program.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment
    National Status and Trends Program Manager
    1305 East West Highway, N/SCI-1
    Silver Spring, MD

    301-713-3028 (voice)
    dave.whitall@noaa.gov
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Other Documents
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by NOAA, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by NOAA in the use of these data or related materials.
  4. How can I download or order the data?

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 29-Mar-2020
Last Reviewed: 19-Apr-2013
Metadata author:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA)
National Status and Trends Program Manager
1305 East West Highway, N/SCI-1
Silver Spring, MD

301-713-3028 (voice)
dave.whitall@noaa.gov
Metadata standard:
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
Generated by mp version 2.9.48 on Wed Apr 17 11:11:04 2024