The project is a continuation of the monitoring activities of the AMAP POPs and Heavy metals programme in marine, terrestrial and freshwater environments of the Faroe Islands. The aims of the programme is to establish data for timetrend and spatial assessments as well as providing data of importance in human health risk assessment on mercury and POPs. The programme incorporates analyses on pilot whale, cod, and black guillemots from the marine environment, sheep from the terrestrial environment and arctic char from the freshwater environment. The compounds analysed are "legacy" POPs and mercury, cadmium and selenium. In addition, PFAS and PBDEs were analysed in pilot whale tissues, to add to previously established time-trend series.
Umhvørvisstovan (Environment agency) Pob. 2048, FO-165 Argir, Faroe Islands
Sanna T. Nielsen, Environment Agency (same as above) Tel.: + 298 234372 (mob)
Rakul Mortensen, Environment Agency (same as above) Tel.: + 298 234374 (mob)
Sissal V. Erenbjerg, Environment Agency (same as above) Tel.: + 298 234373 (mob)
In addition to the AMAP datacenters the data will be made available on our webpage (www.us.fo) and on the ENVOFAR webpage established to accomodate Faroese environmental data (www.envofar.fo).
Samples are stores in our ESB at -20C to -25 C for possible future use. In some instances though no surplus material is left for the bank as could for instance be the case with birds eggs. There is no preset period of storage, but samples may be spent and thus no longer available.
The guidelines adopted for the AMAP and OSPAR programme are followed when feasible. Sampling, storage, pretreatment and analyses are otherwise as described in previous reports, most recent: Nielsen et al., 2014. AMAP Faroe Islands Heavy metals and POPs Core programme 2009-2012. Environment Agency, US journal no. 12/00109-35. Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, pp. 65. Available at www.us.fo. The laboratories involved are described in the same report.
The QA/QC procedures employed varies for the various laboratories. Some are accredited, some participate in QUASIMEME and some participate in similar intercalibration programmes.