Pollution status of North Sea sediments - an international integrative study

Abstract

Sediment methods focused on toxicity testing, chemical analyses, and measures of in situ benthic community structure. Together these three methods comprise the Sediment Quality Triad. Using the Triad in a burden-of-evidence approach, it was determined that sediments nearest the Elbe are moderately polluted (pollution is defined as contamination, toxicity and benthic community alteration), and that sediments offshore and at Dogger Bank are unpolluted. Anticipated effects due to drilling were not observed and appear to have been ameliorated by natural deposition of clean sediment. North Sea sediments away from point sources of pollution (e.g. coastal areas, drilling platforms) are expected to be unpolluted. -from Author