Measurements of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in Antarctic lake sediments, soils, and snow. Data originates from Italian expeditions conducted between 1988 and 1992, with additional snow sampling in the 1993-1994 austral summer. The dataset was compiled by the organization SCIOPS.
Use Cases
- Analyze spatial homogeneity of PCB contamination by comparing concentration values across different sampling stations in Victoria Land.
- Investigate temporal trends by comparing total PCB concentration in deep firn samples (presumably from 1986-1988) to surface snow samples from 1993-1994.
- Model pollutant deposition mechanisms by correlating PCB concentration data with sample matrix types like lake sediment, soil, and snow.
- Compare congener patterns by examining the predominance of lower chlorinated PCB isomers in snow samples against reported atmospheric patterns.
Strengths
- Provides specific concentration metrics, including a mean normalized PCB concentration of 240 (pg/g)/(m2/cm3) for lake sediments and 130 for soils.
- Covers multiple sample types (lake sediment, soil, snow, firn) and four distinct expedition seasons from 1988 to 1992.
- Includes statistical measures such as coefficients of variation (CV 27% for sediments, 18% for soils) and 95% confidence intervals for mean values.
Limitations
- Sample size and exact row count are unknown.
- Data is temporally stale, with the last recorded update from December 1994.
- Geographic coverage is limited to Victoria Land in Antarctica.
Provenance
- Source
- nasa_earthdata
- Collection Method
- Chemical analysis of lake sediment, soil, and snow samples collected during Italian expeditions.
- Time Range
- 1988 to 1995
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Victoria Land, Antarctica