Contaminants in sediments of North Sea and Wadden Sea

As part of the POLWAD (Pollution of the Wadden Sea), a coorporation between the regional divisions Groningen (GR), Friesland (FR) and Noord-Holland (NH) of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, the Tidal Waters Division (DGW) carried out a sampling programme of the sediments in the Dutch Wadden Sea and Ems/Dollard estuary. The pollutants that were included in the analyses were trace metals, Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). Grain size distribution, carbonate content and organic matter content were determined as well. For the description of the quality of the Wadden Sea sediments, use was made of the analytical results of different surveys. The data sets have been included to make possible a comparison in time and in space.