Trace metal analysis of Torres Strait water, sediments, and seagrasses 2019 to 2020 (NESP TWQ 5.14, CSIRO and JCU)

The data set comprises 4 spreadsheets containing trace metal concentrations measured in waters benthic, suspended sediments and seagrasses collected across the Torres Strait during the NESP TWQ 5.14 project. Details of the sampling locations (including coordinates), general chemical and physical parameters and laboratory quality control data are provided.

The seagrass data set is also supported by historical data from previous studies:
Dight, I.J., Gladstone, W. (1993). Torres Strait baseline study: pilot study final report June 1993. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Research Publication No. 29. Townsville, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and
Waterhouse, J., Petus, C., Bainbridge, S., Birrer, S.C., Brodie, J., Chariton, A.C., Dafforn, K.A., Johnson, J.E., Johnston, E.L., Li, Y., Lough, J., Martins, F., O’Brien, D., Tracey, D., Wolanski, E., (2018). Identifying the water quality and ecosystem health threats to the Torres Strait and Far Northern Great Barrier Reef arising from runoff of the Fly River. Report to the National Environmental Science Programme. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns, 157 pages.

The overall aim of the project is to identify the fate of waters from the Fly River in Papua New Guinea and their potential impact on the Torres Strait region. These data sets are metal concentrations in waters, sediments, and seagrasses from locations in the Torres Strait. Some background knowledge of environmental chemistry and water quality management in Australia is needed to properly interpret this data.

Methods:

Full details of sample collection, chemical analysis, and data processing are provided in the NESP report:
Waterhouse, J., Apte, S.C., Petus, C., Angel, B.M., Wolanski, E., Bainbridge, S., Tracey, D., Jarolimek, C.V., King, J., Mellors, J., Brodie, J., (2021). NESP Project 5.14. Assessing the influence of the Fly River discharge on the Torres Strait. Report to the National Environmental Science Programme. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns.

In brief:

- Water samples were collected at locations around Boigu and Saibai (see maps in spreadsheets for details).

- Sediment cores were collected using a gravity corer at locations detailed in the spreadsheets and sectioned in the field. The samples were frozen and transported to CSIRO Lucas Heights for analysis.

- Seagrass samples were either, taken by hand or seagrass rake (5 replicates), transferred to ziplock plastic bags and stored frozen and then transported to the CSIRO Lucas Heights Laboratory for trace metal analysis.

- Water samples were filtered, metals extracted and determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

- Sediment samples were digested in mixed acids using microwave assisted dissolution and determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

- Sediment was rinsed from the seagrass leaves with Milli-Q® water before a minimum of 200 mg of seagrass was weighed for each sample. The seagrass was then freeze dried using a Christ Alpha 1-2 LD Freeze Dryer. The dried seagrass samples were digested by high pressure/temperature nitric acid microwave digestion using a CEM MARS6 Microwave (in-house Method C-225). Metals were quantified by Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) using an Agilent 8800 ICP-MS (in-house method C-209). The certified reference material BCR-279 (Sea Lettuce, Ulva Lactua) was digested and analysed with the samples as a check on accuracy.

Limitations of the data:

The data provided presents a snapshot of water, sediment and seagrass quality at locations in the Torres Strait. It is not a comprehensive data set in terms of spatial and temporal coverage.

Guidelines have not yet been developed to identify environmentally acceptable ranges of trace element concentrations for seagrass.

Many factors can affect metal concentrations measured. Factors can include sampling intensity, timing of sampling, analytical procedures; relative concentration of other metals in the plant and the surrounding environment; as well as the species, part, and age of plant analysed. Consequently, any comparisons or conclusions between studies should be made with caution.

Format:

The data set comprises four Excel spreadsheets:
- "NESP 5.14 Dissolved metals data.xlsx"
- "NESP 5.14 Metals in benthic sediments.xlsx"
- "NESP 5.14 Metals in suspended sediments.xlsx"
- "NESP 5.14 eAtlas NESP 5.14 seagrass submission.xlsx"
Important note: Tabs are also provided in the spreadsheet to show the data from the 2016 and 1991 Torres Strait Baseline Study for reference – however, these were obviously not collected as part of Project 5.14.

References:

Waterhouse, J., Apte, S.C., Petus, C., Angel, B.M., Wolanski, E., Bainbridge, S., Tracey, D., Jarolimek, C.V., King, J., Mellors, J., Brodie, J., (2021). NESP Project 5.14. Assessing the influence of the Fly River discharge on the Torres Strait. Report to the National Environmental Science Programme. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns.

Waterhouse, J., Petus, C., Brodie, J., Bainbridge, S., Wolanski, E., Dafforn, K.A., Birrer, S.C., Lough, J., Tracey, D., Johnson, J.E., Chariton, A.C., Johnston, E.L., Li, Y., Martins, F., O’Brien, D. (2018) Identifying water quality and ecosystem health threats to the Torres Strait and Far Northern GBR from runoff of the Fly River. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns (162pp.).

Dight, I.J., Gladstone, W. (1993). Torres Strait baseline study: Pilot study final report June 1993. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Research Publication No. 29. Townsville, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Restrictions on raw data:

Data set owners and TSRA rangers should be acknowledged for the data collection.

Data Location:

This dataset is filed in the eAtlas enduring data repository at: data\custodian\2019-2022-NESP-TWQ-5\5.14_TS-water-quality

本数据集包含4个电子表格，收录了国家环境科学计划（National Environmental Science Programme, NESP）TWQ 5.14项目期间，在托雷斯海峡采集的底栖水体、悬浮沉积物及海草中的痕量金属浓度数据。本数据集附带采样点位详情（含坐标）、常规理化参数及实验室质控数据。

本海草数据集同时辅以既往研究的历史数据：
Dight I.J.、Gladstone W.（1993）：《托雷斯海峡基线研究：1993年6月试点研究最终报告》，大堡礁海洋公园管理局研究出版物第29号，汤斯维尔：大堡礁海洋公园管理局
Waterhouse J.、Petus C.、Bainbridge S.、Birrer S.C.、Brodie J.、Chariton A.C.、Dafforn K.A.、Johnson J.E.、Johnston E.L.、Li Y.、Lough J.、Martins F.、O’Brien D.、Tracey D.、Wolanski E.（2018）：《识别弗莱河径流对托雷斯海峡及远北大堡礁的水质与生态健康威胁》，提交给国家环境科学计划的报告，凯恩斯：珊瑚礁与雨林研究中心有限公司，共157页

本项目的总体目标为厘清巴布亚新几内亚弗莱河径流的去向，及其对托雷斯海峡区域的潜在影响。本数据集涵盖托雷斯海峡各点位水体、沉积物及海草中的金属浓度数据。需具备澳大利亚环境化学与水质管理相关背景知识，方能准确解读本数据集。

### 分析方法
采样、化学分析及数据处理的完整细节见下述NESP报告：
Waterhouse J.、Apte S.C.、Petus C.、Angel B.M.、Wolanski E.、Bainbridge S.、Tracey D.、Jarolimek C.V.、King J.、Mellors J.、Brodie J.（2021）：《NESP 5.14项目：评估弗莱河径流对托雷斯海峡的影响》，提交给国家环境科学计划的报告，凯恩斯：珊瑚礁与雨林研究中心有限公司。

简要说明如下：
- 在博伊格岛（Boigu）与塞拜岛（Saibai）周边点位采集水样（详情见电子表格内的地图）。
- 使用重力采样器在电子表格中标注的点位采集沉积物岩芯，并在野外进行分层。样品经冷冻处理后运送至澳大利亚联邦科学与工业研究组织（Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, CSIRO）卢卡斯高地实验室开展分析。
- 海草样品通过手采或海草耙采集（设置5个重复样），装入自封塑料袋后冷冻保存，随后运送至CSIRO卢卡斯高地实验室进行痕量金属分析。
- 水样经过滤、金属萃取后，采用电感耦合等离子体质谱法（inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, ICP-MS）进行定量检测。
- 沉积物样品采用混合酸微波辅助消解，随后通过ICP-MS进行检测。
- 先用密理博（Milli-Q®）超纯水冲洗海草叶片上附着的沉积物，随后每份样品称取至少200mg海草组织。将海草样品经Christ Alpha 1-2 LD型冷冻干燥机冻干后，采用CEM MARS6型微波消解仪（内部方法C-225）进行高压/高温硝酸微波消解。使用安捷伦8800电感耦合等离子体质谱仪（Agilent 8800 ICP-MS，内部方法C-209）对金属含量进行定量。同步消解并分析标准参考物质BCR-279（石莼，Ulva Lactua）以验证分析准确度。

### 数据局限性
本数据集仅为托雷斯海峡部分点位的水体、沉积物及海草质量现状快照，在空间与时间覆盖范围上均不具备全面性。
目前尚未制定海草中痕量元素浓度的环境可接受范围标准。
实测金属浓度会受多种因素影响，包括采样强度、采样时机、分析流程、植物及周边环境中其他金属的相对浓度，以及被分析植物的物种、组织部位与生长阶段。因此，不同研究间的对比或结论推导需谨慎进行。

### 数据集格式
本数据集包含4个Excel电子表格：
- 《NESP 5.14 溶解态金属数据.xlsx》
- 《NESP 5.14 底栖沉积物金属含量.xlsx》
- 《NESP 5.14 悬浮沉积物金属含量.xlsx》
- 《NESP 5.14 eAtlas NESP 5.14 海草提交数据.xlsx》

重要说明：各电子表格中还附带了2016年与1991年托雷斯海峡基线研究的参考数据工作表，但上述数据显然并非本5.14项目的采集成果。

### 参考文献
1. Waterhouse J.、Apte S.C.、Petus C.、Angel B.M.、Wolanski E.、Bainbridge S.、Tracey D.、Jarolimek C.V.、King J.、Mellors J.、Brodie J.（2021）：《NESP 5.14项目：评估弗莱河径流对托雷斯海峡的影响》，提交给国家环境科学计划的报告，凯恩斯：珊瑚礁与雨林研究中心有限公司。
2. Waterhouse J.、Petus C.、Brodie J.、Bainbridge S.、Wolanski E.、Dafforn K.A.、Birrer S.C.、Lough J.、Tracey D.、Johnson J.E.、Chariton A.C.、Johnston E.L.、Li Y.、Martins F.、O’Brien D.（2018）：《识别弗莱河径流对托雷斯海峡及远北大堡礁的水质与生态健康威胁》，提交给国家环境科学计划的报告，凯恩斯：珊瑚礁与雨林研究中心有限公司，共162页。
3. Dight I.J.、Gladstone W.（1993）：《托雷斯海峡基线研究：试点研究最终报告1993年6月》，大堡礁海洋公园管理局研究出版物第29号，汤斯维尔：大堡礁海洋公园管理局。

### 原始数据使用限制
数据采集工作需标注数据集所有者与托雷斯海峡区域管理局（Torres Strait Regional Authority, TSRA）护林员的贡献。

### 数据存储位置
本数据集存储于eAtlas永久数据仓库，路径为：datacustodian2019-2022-NESP-TWQ-55.14_TS-water-quality