The project aims to carry out an environmental assessment of the marine environment close to the three main settlements in the Isfjorden complex; Barentsburg, Longyearbyen and Pyramiden. The study comprises analyses of sediment geochemistry and soft-bottom benthic fauna. Attention is given to distinguishing atmospheric transport of contaminants from those arising from local sources.
St. no. Location Depth (m) Latitude N Longitude E 1 Forlandsundet 242 78o24.50’ 12o07.40’ 2 Isfjord 429 78o09.50’ 13o49.40’ 3 Isfjord 282 78o19.60’ 15o19.20’ 4 Billefjord 160 78o35.85’ 16o30.80’ 5 Grønfjord 146 78o04.10’ 14o09.20’ 6 Grønfjord 95 78o05.70’ 14o08.40’ 7 Grønfjord 110 78o03.90’ 14o11.45’ 8 Grønfjord 112 78o02.70’ 14o11.65’ 9 Billefjord 34 78o02.70’ 14o11.65’ 10 Billefjord 23 78o39.10’ 16o24.70’ 11 Billefjord 35 78o39.20’ 16o26.75’ 12 Sassenfjord 201 78o24.50’ 15o56.40’ 13 Adventfjord 39 78o13.70’ 15o40.20’ 14 Adventfjord 62 78o14.00’ 15o36.80’ 15 Adventfjord 57 78o14.50’ 15o33.50’ 16 Adventfjord 77 78o15.40’ 15o35.50’
Methods follow national/ international standards and guidelines (see below). Laboratories involved: Benthic fauna: Akvaplan-niva, Tromsø, Norway Sediment granulometry, TOC and TN - Geogruppen AS, Tromsø, Norway PAH/THC Unilab Analyse, Tromsø, Norway PCBs and pesticides - Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Kjeller, Norway Heavy Metals - Loring SedChem consultants, Canada Sediment dating- Lead 210 - Environmental Radioactivity Measurement facility, Florida state University, USA Modelling sediment dynamics and mixing - Akvaplan-niva, Tromsø, Norway
Sampling and analyses are carried out in accordance with existing JAMP, ICES and other relevant guidelines (eg. Norwegian Standards NS9423 and NS9422 for benthic fauna and contaminants, respectively. US laboratories use the US Environmnental Protection Agency QA/QC and guidelines. All laboratories use accredited methods and participate in ring-testing where appropriate.
Norwegian Institute for Water Research (in addition to other analytical laboratories, see section 9)
The project reports to the client, the Governor of Svalbard. The client reports further to AMAP or as required.
Not run in conjunction with other projects but of relevance to other sedimentary and biodiversity studies around Svalbard.