Hazardous substances

What is it: 

Substances which accumulate in the environment and impact on wildlife are considered to be hazardous. Substances identified as a particular cause for concern include cadmium, mercury, lead, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAHs) and brominated flame retardants ( PBDEs). Inputs of selected substances to the marine environment via rivers and effluent discharges have been quantified for the OSPAR Rivers and Direct Discharges ( RID) programme since 1990.

The layers show the assessments from the UK Marine Environment Monitoring and Assessment National (MERMAN) database, used for international reporting for the following substances in sediment and biota.

  • Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants) (PBDEs) – 4 layers covering BDE47, BDE99 and BDE209.
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs)- 4 layers covering CB153 and CB118.
  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – 6 layers covering phenanthrene, naphthalene and pyrene.
  • Metals – 6 layers covering Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb) and Mercury (Hg).

Updated graphs for dredge spoil hazardous substance content (as found in Scotland’s Marine Atlas) can be accessed in the ‘Data Sources’ tab at the bottom of the page.

Links to Scotland's Marine Atlas: 
Chapter 3: Hazardous Substances
Data originators: 
Marine Environment Monitoring and Assessment National database (MERMAN)
This information page is part of the theme: 
Hazardous Substances
Laboratory Work - © Marine Scotland
More Information: 

The Marine Environment Monitoring & Assessment National Database (MERMAN) holds UK data collected to fulfill mandatory monitoring requirements for the OSPAR Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme (JAMP).

The amount of metals in dredge spoil are also measured by Marine Scotland. See page 'Metal in Dredge Spoil' of the downloadable spreadsheet.

This page was last modified on : 
Friday, October 14, 2016 - 07:38

Links and Resources

Map Type Click title for metadata and licence informationsort descending Date of data View Map
Map Layers (NMPi) Metals - Cadmium (Cd) in Biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Metals - Cadmium (Cd) in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Metals - Lead (Pb) in Biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Metals - Lead (Pb) in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Metals - Mercury (Hg) in Biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Metals - Mercury (Hg) in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants) (PBDEs) - BD209 in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants) (PBDEs) - BDE47 in biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants) (PBDEs) - BDE47 in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (flame retardants) (PBDEs) - BDE99 in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - CB118 in Biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - CB118 in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - CB153 in Biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - CB153 in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) - Naphthalene (NAP) in Biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) - Naphthalene (NAP) in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) - Phenanthrene (PA) in Biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) - Phenanthrene (PA) in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) - Pyrene (PYR) in Biota from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Map Layers (NMPi) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) - Pyrene (PYR) in Sediment from 2013 (time-aware) 2013-01-01 to 2017-12-31 Access this map on NMPi
Type Link Titlesort descending External Link
Data Portals Marine Environment Monitoring and Assessment National database (MERMAN) www.bodc.ac.uk
Tabular Data Waste Disposal (Dredge Spoil) (2013-2018)
Type Title External link
Web link SEPA water monitoring www.sepa.org.uk
Web link Marine Scotland Quality Control of measurements www.gov.scot
Web link Marine Scotland Clean Seas www.gov.scot