Group
pesticidides and biocides
antifoulants
Pharmaceuticals
heavy metals
Hydrocarbons
Radionuclides
fertilisers
organic matter(e.g. from sewers or
mariculture)
Chlorophyll
Silicates
partial pressures of dissolved gases
Plastics
Acidity (from pH, pCO2, Total Inorganic
Carbon, alkalinity)
Examples
DDT, HCB
TBT, TPT
oxytetracycline
mercury, cadmium, lead
anthracene, fluoroanthene
Cs137, Pu239
nitrogen (DIN, TN), phosphorus (DIP, TP)
total carbon (TOC)
oxygen, carbon dioxide
polyethelyne, polypropylene
pH
Pesticides and Biocides
The semantics of this category can be clearly defined. Consequently, they map simply to the P02
categories in the three matrix classes:
Pesticide concentrations in biota
Pesticide concentrations in sediment
Pesticide concentrations in water bodies
Antifoulants
Things aren't quite so clear-cut here. The classic antifoulant pollutants were two of the organotins TBT and TPT. Modern antifoulants are based on organic copper compounds. The P02 categories
covering these are:
Organometallic species concentration parameters in biota
Organometallic species concentration parameters in sediments
Organometallic species concentration parameters in water bodies
However, there are organometallic compounds with sources other than antifoulants - for example
monobutyl-tin is used in glassmaking. There are also other organometallics that have been studied
as pollutants such as organic arsenic compounds.
Would the term 'Organometallic pollutants' with 'antifoulants' as an example be a better way of
labelling this category.
Pharmaceuticals
Again the mapping to P02 is straightforward with:
Pharmaceutical concentrations in biota
Pharmaceutical concentrations in sediments
Pharmaceutical concentrations in water bodies
Heavy Metals
This is where we start to run into trouble, because there is no differentiation in P02 between heavy
metals and any other metals. I'm also unclear as to what is meant by the term 'heavy metal'.
Wikipedia summarises the problem quite nicely:
"A heavy metal is a member of a loosely defined subset of elements that exhibit metallic properties.
It mainly includes the transition metals, some metalloids, lanthanides, and actinides. Many different
definitions have been proposed—some based on density, some on atomic number or atomic weight,
and some on chemical properties or toxicity.[1] The term heavy metal has been called a
"misinterpretation" in an IUPAC technical report due to the contradictory definitions and its lack of a
"coherent scientific basis".[1] There is an alternative term toxic metal, for which no consensus of exact
definition exists either. As discussed below, depending on context, heavy metal can include elements
lighter than carbon and can exclude some of the heaviest metals. Heavy metals occur naturally in the
ecosystem with large variations in concentration. In modern times, anthropogenic sources of heavy
metals, i.e. pollution, have been introduced to the ecosystem."
In P02 we have:
Metal concentrations in biota
Trace metalloid concentrations in biota
Trace metalloid concentrations in sediment pore water
Trace metalloid concentrations in sediment
Metal concentrations in sediment pore waters
Metal concentrations in sediment
Dissolved trace metalloid concentrations in the water column
Particulate trace metalloid concentrations in the water column
Metal concentrations in suspended particulate material
Dissolved metal concentrations in the water column
Particulate metal concentrations in the water column
Total metal concentrations in water bodies
Colloidal metal concentrations in the water column
It might be better to label the category 'metals' rather than 'heavy metals'.
Hydrocarbons
Whilst the category can be clearly defined - it's any organic compound made up totally of carbon and
hydrogen, it's way too broad, particularly as there is another category later on for 'plastics', many of
which are hydrocarbons. Some hydrocarbons, such as methane, are implicated in global warming:
some hydrocarbons are environmentally neutral: some hydrocarbons, especially aromatic
hydrocarbons, are toxins.
The example compounds given are both polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a particularly toxic group
of hydrocarbons.
Hydrocarbons are covered in P02 by:
Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in biota
Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmosphere
Concentration of other hydrocarbons in the atmosphere
Concentration of other hydrocarbons in the water column
Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in suspended particulate material
Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the water column
Concentration of aliphatic hydrocarbons in sediment samples
Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples
Might it be better to refine the category down to PAHs, in which case the mapping becomes simple?
Radionuclides
Straightforward. Covered by:
Radioactivity in biota
Geological sample radioactivity
Radioactivity in the water column
Fertilisers
This category covers dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus and is primarily concerned with
water bodies, with a possible interest in sediments (actually their pore waters). Covered by the
following P02 categories.
Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column
Nitrite concentration parameters in the water column
Nitrate+nitrite concentration parameters in the water column
Dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentration in the water column
Ammonium concentration parameters in the water column
Urea concentration parameters in the water column (included by some but excluded as organic by
others)
Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column
Phosphorus concentrations in suspended particulate material
Nutrient concentrations in sediment pore waters (includes silicate)
Chlorophyll
Only really applicable to the water column and sediments. Mapping to P02 is simple:
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in sediment
Chlorophyll pigment concentrations in the water column
Silicates
Lumped in with other nutrients for sediment pore waters. Covered in the water column by:
Silicate concentration parameters in the water column
Partial Pressures of Dissolved Gases
The problem here is carbon dioxide. Partial pressure (or fugacity) of carbon dioxide is one of the
primary parameters for the carbonate system that controls Acidity. It is much more at home there
than in a general gas concentration category.
What dissolved gases are EMODNET interested in other than oxygen? For oxygen we have:
Dissolved oxygen concentration parameters in sediment pore waters
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
There are also
Dissolved noble gas concentration parameters in the water column
Dissolved concentration parameters for other gases in the water column
Dissolved concentration parameters for other gases in sediment pore waters
Oganic gases are a known issue. For example, methane is classified as a hydrocarbon rather than as
a gas.
Why not just have a dissolved oxygen category?
Plastics
Not covered by P02 at present, but we could easily add P02 categories for polymerised organic
compounds (a more precise term for plastics) in water bodies, sediment and biota.
Acidity
What is more precisely described as the 'carbonate system'. Like nutrients this is primarily a water
body category, but could also have relevance to sediment pore water chemistry. However, I think
environmental interest is primarily focused on water bodies.
Covered in P02 by:
Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column
Partial pressure (pCO2) and fugacity (fCO2) of carbon dioxide in the water column
Total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2) concentration in the water column
Dissolved inorganic carbon in sediment pore waters
Absent Friends
There are important contaminants - most notably PCBs and BDEs - that could not be discovered
through the categorisation as presented.