Location: Arctic (various locations circumpolar, seven sites in Canada, Russia, US [Alaska])
Client: Environment Canada, Northern Contaminants Program and support for the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP).
Year: 1987- present
Monitoring Network Purpose: Determine levels, spatial and temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants (POPs including many of UNs Dirty Dozen in the Arctic for adherence to UN Convention)
Substances monitored: airborne POPs and metals.
Sampling protocols/siting criteria basis: Purpose designed sampling apparatus was constructed, sites were selected according to regional criteria to avoid immediate local influences for very low levels, instrumentation and equipment suitable for Arctic environment was assembled and deployed at the sites. The sites have been operated including preparation of sampling materials, retrieval after exposure, extraction, analysis, design of a database, population of the data base with QA/QCed data and preparation of peer reviewed papers for publications.
Data management/flow: A purpose-designed database based on spreadsheets was designed and migrated to a SASS based statistical database including as system of flags to assist data users with assessing data quality.