Persistent Organic Pollutant levels and metabolic responses were measured in live explant samples from young grey seals on Scotland's east coast. Data collection occurred on the Isle of May between 2015 and 2017, with a second sample set from yearlings in 2018. The study was led by Dr Kimberley Bennett from Abertay University and funded by a NERC Discovery Science grant.
Use Cases
- Modeling contaminant-induced metabolic disruption based on measured gene expression and hormone levels.
- Analyzing correlations between intrinsic POP levels in blubber and animal characteristics like sex and life history stage.
- Investigating the impact of experimental PCB exposure on glucose uptake and lactate production in tissue samples.
Strengths
- Data includes multiple years of sampling from 2015 to 2018, allowing for temporal analysis.
- Measurements cover a wide range of biological responses, including gene expression, hormone levels, and metabolic rates.
- Samples were analyzed at a specialized facility, the Centre for Analytical Research and Technology at the University of Liège.
Limitations
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to samples from specific Scottish coastal sites.
Provenance
- Source
- Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
- Collection Method
- Live explant samples from captured seals, analyzed via gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and various biochemical assays.
- Time Range
- 2015-2018
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-03-18 15:11:03.606105; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- East coast of Scotland, including Isle of May, Moray Firth, and Culbin Sands.