Marine toxic substances and pollutants data from the CARIPOL petroleum pollution monitoring project in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and South American waters from 1980-07-16 to 1989-05-03

Marine toxic substance and pollutants data were collected using sediment corer and other instruments in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and South American waters from NOAA Ship RESEARCHER and other platforms from 16 July 1980 to 03 May 1989. Data were submitted by Donald K. Atwood of NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. The data were collected by many institutes in the United States, Caribbean, Central and South America with support from the CARIPOL/MARPOLMON project. Data were processed by NODC to the NODC standard Marine Toxic Substances and Pollutants Data (F144) format.

The F144 format contains data on ambient concentrations of toxic substances and other pollutants in the marine environment. The data derive from laboratory analyses of samples of water, sediment, or marine organisms. Samples may have been collected near marine discharge sites or during ocean monitoring surveys of large areas. Field observations of tar deposits on beaches may also be reported. Survey information includes platform type, start and end dates, and investigator and institution. If data are collected near a discharge site, discharge location, depth, distance to shore, average volume, and other characteristics are reported. Position, date, time and environmental conditions are reported for each sample station. Environmental data may include meteorological and sea surface conditions, tide stage and height, depth of the thermocline or mixed layer surface temperature and salinity, and wave height and periods. Sample characteristics, collection methods, and laboratory techniques are reported for each sample collected and analyzed. The data record comprises concentration values (or a code to indicate trace amounts) for each chemical substance analyzed. Chemical substances are identified by codes based on the registry numbers assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) of the American Chemical Society. Marine organisms from which samples have been taken are identified using the 12-digit NODC Taxonomic Code. A text record is available for optional comments.