Data Management Plan (Deprecated)

This study was based on the sediment quality triad (SQT) approach. The purpose was to define the extent and magnitude of contamination and biological effects associated with contaminants in the Massachusetts/Cape Cod Bays, Stellwagen Bank, and Boston Harbor. A stratified probabilistic sampling design was utilized to characterize the systems in terms of chemical contamination and benthic infaunal community structure. In addition, samples were taken in the vicinity of the new Boston sewage outfall in Massachusetts Bay and in Boston Harbor where the sewage outfall used to discharge. Toxicity bioassays were not done. A secondary objective was to coordinate with the NOAA NMFS to collect sediment and fish tissue samples at previously sampled Benthic Surveillance Program sites. This file contains sediment and water data measured in all areas sampled in 2004.

Process Steps:

• 2004-01-01 00:00:00 - DATA ACQUISITION/FIELD SAMPLING Sediment sampling procedures are available for download (http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/about/coast/nsandt/)DATA PREPARATION AND SAMPLING PROCESSING Fields are arranged as follows:Sample Type; Container; Field Holding; Lab Storage; Max Holding SEDIMENT Organic contaminants; I-Chem glass jars; Wet ice (4C); Freezer (-20C); 1 year Inorganic contaminants; I-Chem glass jars; Wet ice (4C); Freezer (-20C); 1 year Total organic Carbon; I-Chem glass jars; Wet ice (4C); Freezer (-20C); 1 year Grain size; Whirl paks; Wet ice (4C); Refrigerated (4C); 1 year BENTHOS Taxonomy; Plastic jars; 10% buffered formalin; Transfer to 70% ethanol; Indefinitely
• Chemicals with similar structural properties were summed and reported as "Totals" in addition to their individual measured concentrations. The components of these totals are as follows: Total DDT = sum of concentrations of ortho and para forms of parent and metabolites 2,4'DDE; 4,4'DDE; 2,4'DDD; 4,4'DDD; 2,4'DDT and 4,4'DDT. Total Chlordane = sum of concentrations of four compounds alpha-chlordane, trans-nonachlor, heptachlor, heptachlorepoxide. Total Chlorinated benzenes = 1,2,4,5-Tetrachlorobenzene, 1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorobenzene, Pentachlorobenzene, Hexachlorobenzene and Pentachloroanisole Total Dieldrin = sum of concentrations of two compounds aldrin and dieldrin. Total cyclodines = sum of Heptachlor, Heptachlor Epoxide, Oxychlordane, Alpha Chlordane, Gamma Chlordane, Cis-Nonachlor, Trans-Nonachlor, Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin, Endosulfan II Total HCH = Alpha HCH, Beta HCH, Gamma HCH, Delta HCH Total Butyl tin = sum of concentrations of parent compound and metabolites monobutyltin, dibutyltin, tributyltin, tetrabutyltin [concentrations are in terms of tin]. Total PCB = the sum of the concentrations of eighteen congeners: PCB8, PCB18, PCB28, PCB44, PCB52, PCB66, PCB101, PCB105, PCB118, PCB128, PCB138, PCB153, PCB170, PCB180, PCB187, PCB195, PCB206, and PCB209. High Molecular Weight PAHs = Fluoranthene, Pyrene, Benz(a)anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo(b)fluoranthene, Benzo(k)fluoranthene, Benzo(e)pyrene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Perylene, Indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene, Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, Benzo(g,h,i)perylene High Molecular Weight Substituted PAHs = C1-Fluoranthenes/Pyrenes, C1-Chrysenes, C2-Chrysenes, C3-Chrysenes, C4-Chrysenes Low MW PAHs = Naphthalene, Biphenyl Acenaphthylene, Acenaphthene, Fluorene, Anthracene, Phenanthrene, Dibenzothiophene Low Molecular Weight Substituted PAHs = C1-Naphthalenes, C2-Naphthalenes, C3-Naphthalenes, C4-Naphthalenes, C1-Fluorenes, C2-Fluorenes, C3-Fluorenes, C1-Phenanthrenes/Anthracenes, C2-Phenanthrenes/Anthracenes, C3-Phenanthrenes/Anthracenes, C4-Phenanthrenes/Anthracenes, C1-Dibenzothiophenes, C2-Dibenzothiophenes, C3-Dibenzothiophenes Several numerical indices were chosen for analysis and interpretation of the macroinfaunal data. Infaunal abundance is reported as the total number of individuals per station and the total number of individuals per square meter (= density). Taxa richness is reported as the number of taxa represented in a given site location. Taxa diversity, which is often related to the ecological stability and environmental "quality" of the benthos, was estimated by the Shannon-Weiner Index (Shannon and Weaver, 1949). In order to quantify and compare the equitability in the fauna to the taxa diversity for a given area, Pielou's Evenness Index J' (Pielou, 1966) was calculated as J' = H'/lnS, where lnS = H'max, or the maximum possible diversity, when all taxa are represented by the same number of individuals; thus, J' = H' /H' max.
• Project Related References:Pielou, E.C. 1966. The Measurement of Diversity in Different Types of Biological Collections. J. Theoretical Biology 13:131-144.Shannon, L.C. and W. Weaver. 1949. The Mathematical Theory of Communication. Univ. of Illinois Press, Urbana, Ill. 117 p.