Metal concentrations in seawater, marine sediment, plankton and fish in Eastern Scotland, 2020-2023
https://doi.org/10.5285/839ca281-01b1-4bb8-8f54-92e6c59d7e3c
Download/Access
The dataset includes concentrations of a range of metal(loid)s in seawater, marine sediment, plankton and fish samples collected in East Scotland between 2020 and 2023. The data was collected as part of the project "Uptake of chemicals from legacy waste sites in coastal food webs and effects on higher predators" ("CLEWS"). The samples were collected during a monitoring field campaign to determine spatial and temporal differences in concentrations of metal(loid)s in sediment and water and to characterise the uptake of these contaminants into planktonic and fish species which are the major food source of shags. The field campaign was carried out within shag population foraging ranges and focused on the Firth of Forth area, with additional water, sediment and fish samples collected off North Aberdeenshire coast where some shags from Firth of Forth colonies spent time outside of the breeding season.
Publication date: 2026-06-19
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Format
Comma-separated values (CSV)
Spatial information
Study area
Spatial representation type
Triangular irregular network
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid
Spatial resolution
10 metres
Temporal information
Temporal extent
2020-01-01 to 2023-12-31
Provenance & quality
Water, sediment, plankton and fish samples were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Internal standards were added to correct for sample-specific matrix effects and instrumental drift. The ICP-MS analysis was performed using various dilutions and acid-matched calibration standards. Due to low levels of mercury (Hg) in the plankton, Hg was determined in these samples using a PSA Millennium Merlin system. Every sample, Certified Reference Material, blank and calibration solution was analysed using three replicates. Details of sample processing and analyses, and Limit of Detections (LODs) of metal(loids) in analysed samples are listed in the metadata document. A manual check was performed on all data to look for any errors in data entry or values reported outside the expected range. Any unusual values were then investigated and corrected where appropriate.
Licensing and constraints
This dataset will be available under the terms of the Open Government Licence 
Cite this dataset as:
Olszewska, J.P.; Andrews, C.; Grant, A.; Gunn, C.M.; Keenan, P.; Pereira, M.G.; Pickard, A.E.; Pollock, C.J.; Salisbury, E.; Telford, J.; Thacker, S.; Bogdanova, M.I.; Daunt, F. (2026). Metal concentrations in seawater, marine sediment, plankton and fish in Eastern Scotland, 2020-2023. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/839ca281-01b1-4bb8-8f54-92e6c59d7e3c
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Correspondence/contact details
Other contacts
Publisher
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Rights holder
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Additional metadata
Keywords
Funding
Natural Environment Research Council Award: NE/T003596/1