Pollution monitoring in the marine environment around Iceland 2011 and 2012 / Monitoring of the marine biosphere around Iceland 2011 and 2012
This report presents the results of an annual monitoring project funded by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, as well as the Ministry of Industry and Innovation. The purpose of this monitoring is to fulfill Iceland's obligations under the Oslo and Paris Agreements (OSPAR), as well as the AMAP (Arctic Monitoring Assessment Program). The data are part of Iceland's contribution to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) database. The Marine Research Institute collects samples and Matís oversees the preparation of samples and measurements of trace elements in the marine environment. The samples are measured at Matís and at the University of Iceland Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Various inorganic trace elements and chloro-organic substances were measured in cod caught in Hafró's annual spring rally in March 2012 and in mussels collected at 11 locations around the country in August / September 2011. Monitoring in the marine environment around Iceland began in 1989 and samples are collected once a year. for a year and worked according to international sampling instructions. The data is collected in a database, the report provides overview images for some of the materials monitored. Cadmium is regionally higher in Icelandic mussels compared to mussels from other countries. The results show changes in the pattern of chlorine organic matter in mussels collected near Hvalstöðin in Hvalfjörður in September 2011. The concentration of chlorine organic substances increased in 2009 and 2010 but decreased in samples from 2011 and has become comparable to the concentration measured before 2009. The concentration of DDEs is however, it was higher than before 2009. There were no visible changes in the concentration of these substances at the mussel collection point at Hvammsvík in Hvalfjörður or at any other collection site around the country that was studied in 2011. It is important to monitor these changes in the pattern of chlorine organic matter in mussels. in the monitoring project in the coming years to see how they change. A detailed statistical analysis of the data is in progress, i.e. Scientific methods can be used to estimate the increase or decrease of pollutants in the marine environment in Iceland.
This report contains results of the annual monitoring of the biosphere around Iceland in 2011 and 2012. The project, overseen by the Environment Agency of Iceland, is to fulfill the OSPAR (Oslo and Paris agreement) and AMAP (Arctic Monitoring Assessment Program) agreements. The project was funded by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources as well as the Ministry of Industries and Innovation. The data obtained is a part of Iceland's contribution to the ICES databank (ices.dk). The collection of data started 1989. Matís is the coordinator for marine biota monitoring and is responsible for methods relating to sampling, preparation and analysis of samples. The samples were analyzed at Matís and the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Iceland. Trace metals and organochlorines were analyzed in cod (Gadus morhua) caught in March 2011 and in blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) collected from 11 sites in August / Sept 2011. Marine monitoring began in Iceland 1989 and the sampling is carried out according to standardized sampling guidelines. Changes were observed in the organochlorine concentration patterns in blue mussels collected year 2011 at the sampling site Hvalstod in Hvalfjordur. The concentration of organochlorines increased in the years 2009 and 2010 but decreased in the samples from 2011 and is in line with the concentration of organohalogens in mussels before 2009. No noteworthy increase in organochlorine concentrations was however observed in blue mussels obtained at Hvammsvík in Hvalfjordur nor any of the other sample sites studied year 2011. These results need to be followed up in the annual monitoring of the biosphere around Iceland next year to see if this change in contaminant concentration pattern continues. A thorough statistical evaluation is on ‐ going on all the available data from this monitoring program to analyze spatial and temporal trends of pollutants in the Icelandic marine biosphere.
