NESP MaC 4.22: Emerging Contaminants in Australian Coastal Stormwater and Wastewater

Australian coastal water and sediment samples from Gamay (NSW) and Glenelg (South Australia) quantify contaminants like pharmaceuticals, PFAS, metals, and microplastics. The project, led by the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub, includes seasonal time-series data and samples from a major flooding event following Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Outputs support updates to the National Outfall Database and inform contaminant guideline development.

Use Cases

• Compare contaminant loads between wastewater effluent and stormwater inputs based on the sampling in Gamay and Glenelg.
• Analyze seasonal trends in contaminants of emerging concern using the time-series data from Glenelg beach area.
• Study contaminant mobilization during extreme rainfall events based on the targeted stormwater sampling after Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
• Assess ecological impacts on microbial communities using the ecogenomic data on microbial assemblages and antimicrobial resistance.

Strengths

• Includes data from a rare time-series on contaminant mobilization during a major flooding event (Tropical Cyclone Alfred).
• Sampling covers multiple contaminant types (pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, PFAS, metals, microplastics) and associated environmental variables.
• Project maintains and expands the National Outfall Database with 2022/23 updates.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

NESP Marine and Coastal Hub, Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Field programs collecting water and sediment samples, with ecogenomic analysis.

Time Range

Includes seasonal sampling and data from a 2022/23 update cycle.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-09 02:18:27.049702; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Coastal Australia, specifically Gamay (Botany Bay, NSW), Glenelg (South Australia), and south-east Queensland/northern New South Wales.