Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) screening of extracted sediments for samples collected for the Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response Strategy pilot study, northeastern United States, 2015

Coastal communities are uniquely vulnerable to sea-level rise and severe storms such as hurricanes. These events enhance the dispersion and concentration of natural and anthropogenic chemicals and pathogenic microorganisms that could adversely affect the health and resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems in subsequent years. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed the Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy to define baseline and post-event sediment-bound environmental health stressors. These data document the mid-range Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and absorbance measurements as a function of wavelength with and without spectral corrections for selected stations in the northeastern U.S. during the 2015 pilot implementation of the SCoRR strategy in response to Hurricane Joaquin and the 2015 South Carolina flood events.