Macquarie Island soil chemistry data contains measurements of n-alkane concentrations from soil cores collected across the island's isthmus. The dataset was published by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC) and last updated in December 2013. It includes site descriptions, collection seasons, geographic coordinates, sampling depths, and concentrations for specific carbon chain lengths.
Use Cases
- Map spatial distribution of hydrocarbon contamination using Latitude, Longitude, and C10-37 n-Alkanes (ug/g) concentrations.
- Analyze the relationship between soil depth and alkane concentration profiles using Depth (m) and the C23-C37 n-alkanes (ug/g) column.
- Compare seasonal variations in lighter versus heavier hydrocarbon levels using Season collected, C10-C22 n-alkanes (ug/g), and C23-C37 n-alkanes (ug/g).
- Identify potential source signatures by examining ratios between specific alkane ranges like C12-C22 n-alkanes (ug/g) and C23-C34 n-alkanes (ug/g).
Strengths
- Includes precise geospatial coordinates (Latitude, Longitude) for each sampling site.
- Provides detailed concentration measurements for multiple, specific n-alkane carbon chain ranges.
Limitations
- Sample size (number of rows/cores) is unknown, limiting statistical power assessment.
- Data is over a decade old, with the last update recorded in 2013.
- Concentration values use 'nd' (not detected) codes, requiring handling of non-detects.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC).
- Collection Method
- Soil cores were collected, stored at 4°C, solvent-extracted with n-hexane using an Accelerated Solvent Extractor, and analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
- Time Range
- Collection seasons are specified per sample but overall temporal range is not provided.
- Freshness
- Last updated on 2013-12-20.
- Geography
- Macquarie Island Isthmus, sub-Antarctic region.