Shellfish Tissue Contaminant Measurements in New Hampshire Estuaries

Heavy metals and toxic organic contaminants were measured in blue mussel, oyster, and clam tissue from the Great Bay Estuary, Rye Harbor, and Hampton-Seabrook Harbor. The data originates from the New Hampshire Gulf Watch Program, managed by the organization SCIOPS and hosted on NASA EarthData. The temporal coverage and sample size are not specified in the provided information.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial trends in heavy metal concentrations across the Great Bay Estuary, Rye Harbor, and Hampton-Seabrook Harbor.
• Compare contaminant levels between different shellfish species such as blue mussels, oysters, and clams.
• Investigate correlations between specific toxic organic contaminants and heavy metals found in the tissue samples.
• Assess long-term changes in pollutant loads for the monitored bays using time-series data if available.

Strengths

• Data covers three distinct water bodies: Great Bay Estuary, Rye Harbor, and Hampton-Seabrook Harbor.
• Includes measurements for multiple contaminant types: heavy metals and toxic organic compounds.
• Tissue samples were collected from three different shellfish species: blue mussels, oysters, and clams.

Limitations

• The total number of samples (rows) and measured parameters (columns) are unknown.
• The temporal range of data collection and update frequency are not specified.
• Geographic coverage is limited to three specific estuaries in New Hampshire, USA.

Provenance

Source

New Hampshire Gulf Watch Program, SCIOPS, via NASA EarthData.

Collection Method

Field collection and laboratory analysis of shellfish tissue for contaminant levels.

Geography

Great Bay Estuary, Rye Harbor, and Hampton-Seabrook Harbor in New Hampshire, USA.