River Water PCB and Pesticide Measurements in the Humber Catchment (1994-1996)

Weekly and high-flow event data tracks Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), chlorobenzenes (CB), and organochlorine pesticides (OC) in river water from the Humber catchment area. The Land Ocean Interaction Study (LOIS) team at York University collected unfiltered samples from multiple sites between early 1994 and the end of 1996. Samples were analyzed at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Gas Chromatography with Electron Capture Detection (GC-ECD).

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal trends of DDT, Dieldrin, and PCB concentrations across sites like the Derwent, Calder, and Ouse rivers.
• Correlate pollutant levels of Hexachlorobenzene and Pentachlorobenzene with high-flow event periods captured in the sampling schedule.
• Model the spatial distribution of organochlorine compounds such as DDE and TDE within the Humber catchment watershed.
• Assess environmental persistence by comparing measurements of Hexachloro-1-3-butadiene and Dichlorobenzene from 1994 to 1996.

Strengths

• Data collection spans nearly three years (early 1994 to end of 1996), providing longitudinal coverage.
• Sampling occurred at regular weekly intervals and intermittently during high-flow events, capturing varied hydrological conditions.
• Analysis performed using specialized laboratory methods (GC-MS and GC-ECD) for precise contaminant detection.

Limitations

• Specific row count, column structure, and sample data are unavailable, hindering immediate analytical use.
• Data is temporally stale, reflecting environmental conditions from over 25 years ago.
• Geographic scope is limited to the Humber catchment area in the UK.

Provenance

Source

Environmental Information Data Centre, originating from the Land Ocean Interaction Study (LOIS) project.

Collection Method

River water samples collected by the LOIS team at York University, extracted with hexane, cleaned via alumina column chromatography, and analyzed by GC-MS and GC-ECD.

Time Range

Early 1994 to end of 1996 (site O12 from November 1994 to November 1996).

Freshness

Data last updated in the catalog on 2026-03-11, but the underlying measurements are from 1994-1996.

Geography

Humber catchment area, including rivers such as Derwent, Calder, Nidd, Aire, Swale, and Ouse.