Boston Harbor Sediment Metal Concentrations Over 16 Years

Surface sediment monitoring data from Boston Harbor tracks concentrations of metals like chromium, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc. The dataset includes samples from monitoring stations and sediment cores collected between 1977 and 1993. The study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Use Cases

• Analyze trends in chromium, lead, mercury, silver, and zinc concentrations in surface sediments over the 1977-1993 period.
• Correlate metal concentration data from sediment cores with surface monitoring station records.
• Assess sediment toxicity by comparing measured metal concentrations against thresholds for bottom-dwelling organisms.
• Model contaminant transport in coastal waters using historical data on metal and organic contaminants.

Strengths

• Time series spans 16 years (1977-1993) of continuous monitoring.
• Analysis includes multiple data sources: surface sediments, sediment cores, and a historical contaminated-sediment database.
• Reports specific quantitative findings, such as an approximate 50 percent decrease in concentrations for five key metals.

Limitations

• Specific sample sizes, row counts, and column definitions are not provided.
• Data is temporally limited, ending in 1993, which may not reflect current conditions.
• Geographic scope is restricted to Boston Harbor, limiting broader applicability.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Geological Survey studies, accessed via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Analysis of surface sediments from monitoring stations, sediment cores from depositional areas, and a historical contaminated-sediment database.

Time Range

1977 to 1993

Geography

Boston Harbor, Massachusetts coastal waters