NCCOS Assessment: Post-hurricane assessment of chemical contaminants in nearshore waters and marine sediments at two St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) National Parks, 2021-08-16 to 2022-03-07 (NCEI Accession 0303533)

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: August 03, 2026 at 04:59 AM | Dataset Last Updated: May 06, 2025 at 12:00 AM

Marine sediment and water column samples were collected in nearshore habitats around the island of St. John, USVI during two sampling trips in late 2021 and early 2022 and following the landfall of two Category 5 hurricanes, Irma (landfall 2017-09-06) and Maria (landfall 2017-09-20). Marine sediment samples were analyzed for trace metals, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), butyltins, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) and biological (Clostridium perfringens) contaminants. Water column samples were filtered over solid phase extraction columns (Oasis HLB, Waters Corp.) and analyzed for pharmaceuticals and personal care products, including UV filters (sunscreens). We also collected seawater turbidity, pH, temperature, salinity and conductivity measurements at each embayment in 2021. Sediment interstitial water (porewater) was used in a sea urchin embryo development toxicity (SUETOX) assay to determine the relative benthic health at each site. Water samples for contaminant chemistry and sediment porewater for the SUETOX assay were collected between 2021-08-16 and 2021-08-21 while sediment samples for contaminant analyses were collected 2022-01-22 – 2022-03-07. Chemical analyses of the seawater and sediment samples occurred between 2022-03-30 and 2023-11-13. Total organic carbon and grain size analyses were also performed on the sediment samples from 2022, as those data can influence the results of each of those tests.

Resources

13 resources available

NCEI Dataset Landing Page

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
Descriptive Information

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
HTTPS

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
FTP

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17784

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17783

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
https://doi.org/10.1039/c1ay05390f

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
https://doi.org/10.25923/p4nc-7m71

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278695

PLACEHOLDER/VALUE

Download
http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/rs/lloydkahn.pdf

PDF

Download
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.08.001

PLACEHOLDER/VALUE

Download
GCMD Keyword Forum Page

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page
NCEI Contact Information

TEXT/HTML

Visit Page

Find Related Datasets

Search by Tags

Click any tag below to search for similar datasets

Complete Metadata

@type	dcat:Dataset
accessLevel	non-public
contactPoint	{ "fn": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information", "@type": "vcard:Contact", "hasEmail": "mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov" }
describedByType	application/octet-steam
description	Marine sediment and water column samples were collected in nearshore habitats around the island of St. John, USVI during two sampling trips in late 2021 and early 2022 and following the landfall of two Category 5 hurricanes, Irma (landfall 2017-09-06) and Maria (landfall 2017-09-20). Marine sediment samples were analyzed for trace metals, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), butyltins, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) and biological (Clostridium perfringens) contaminants. Water column samples were filtered over solid phase extraction columns (Oasis HLB, Waters Corp.) and analyzed for pharmaceuticals and personal care products, including UV filters (sunscreens). We also collected seawater turbidity, pH, temperature, salinity and conductivity measurements at each embayment in 2021. Sediment interstitial water (porewater) was used in a sea urchin embryo development toxicity (SUETOX) assay to determine the relative benthic health at each site. Water samples for contaminant chemistry and sediment porewater for the SUETOX assay were collected between 2021-08-16 and 2021-08-21 while sediment samples for contaminant analyses were collected 2022-01-22 – 2022-03-07. Chemical analyses of the seawater and sediment samples occurred between 2022-03-30 and 2023-11-13. Total organic carbon and grain size analyses were also performed on the sediment samples from 2022, as those data can influence the results of each of those tests.
distribution	[ { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "NCEI Dataset Landing Page", "accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.25921/pwhs-qr37", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "Descriptive Information", "accessURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/oas/303533", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "HTTPS", "accessURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/download/303533", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "FTP", "accessURL": "ftp://ftp-oceans.ncei.noaa.gov/nodc/archive/arc0233/0303533/", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP).", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17784", "accessURL": "https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17784", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "NOAA technical memorandum", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17783", "accessURL": "https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17783", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "NOAA technical memorandum", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "https://doi.org/10.1039/c1ay05390f", "accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.1039/c1ay05390f", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "journal article", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "https://doi.org/10.25923/p4nc-7m71", "accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.25923/p4nc-7m71", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "NOAA Technical Memo", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278695", "mediaType": "placeholder/value", "description": "Journal article", "downloadURL": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278695", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/rs/lloydkahn.pdf", "format": "PDF", "mediaType": "application/pdf", "description": "Methodology description", "downloadURL": "http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/rs/lloydkahn.pdf", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.08.001", "mediaType": "placeholder/value", "description": "Journal article", "downloadURL": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.08.001", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "GCMD Keyword Forum Page", "accessURL": "https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" }, { "@type": "dcat:Distribution", "title": "NCEI Contact Information", "accessURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact", "mediaType": "text/html", "description": "Information for contacts at NCEI.", "describedByType": "application/octet-stream" } ]
identifier	https://data.noaa.gov/waf/NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions/iso/xml/0303533.xml
issued	2025-04-15T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword	[ "0303533", "bacteria", "biological data", "CARBON - TOTAL ORGANIC", "CHEMISTRY - SEDIMENT", "CONDUCTIVITY", "CORAL", "HPLC PIGMENTS", "LATITUDE", "LONGITUDE", "Ocean pollution and marine debris", "Pesticides", "pH", "POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAH)", "SALINITY", "SEDIMENT - GRAIN SIZE", "SEDIMENT - POREWATER CHEMISTRY", "SEDIMENTS - DRY WEIGHT", "SEDIMENTS - TOTAL CARBON", "TOXIC METALS", "TRACE METALS", "turbidity", "WATER FEATURES", "WATER TEMPERATURE", "mass spectrometer", "microscope", "sediment sampler - corer", "sediment sieve", "trap", "biological", "chemical", "laboratory analyses", "sediment analysis", "survey - coral reef", "NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science", "NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science", "Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP)", "CORAL REEF STUDIES", "Caribbean Sea", "oceanography", "DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS > National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce", "1133", "Coral Disease and Health Consortium (CDHC): Diagnostic Metrics, Epidemiology and Capacity Building", "Coral Reef Conservation Program Project #1133", "Numeric Data Sets > Chemical Contaminants", "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Coastal Habitat", "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals", "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Damage Assessment > Pollution", "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Chemical", "EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Watershed Data", "EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS > PESTICIDES", "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION", "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > BACTERIA/ARCHAEA", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > MARINE ENVIRONMENT MONITORING > MARINE SUBMERGED DEBRIS", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > MARINE ENVIRONMENT MONITORING > MARINE SURFACE ELEMENTS > MARINE SURFACE DEBRIS", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > MARINE SEDIMENTS", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > MARINE SEDIMENTS > SEDIMENT CHEMISTRY", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > ORGANIC CARBON", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > PH", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > PIGMENTS", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN OPTICS > TURBIDITY", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN TEMPERATURE > WATER TEMPERATURE", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > SALINITY/DENSITY > CONDUCTIVITY", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > SALINITY/DENSITY > SALINITY", "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > WATER QUALITY > SEA SURFACE CONTAMINANTS", "EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > GEOMORPHIC LANDFORMS/PROCESSES > COASTAL LANDFORMS > CORAL REEFS", "NCCOS Research Priority > Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment, Climate Impacts on Ecosystems", "NCCOS Research Topic > Regional Ecosystem Science", "NCCOS Research Data Type > Field Observation", "NCCOS Research Data Type > Laboratory Experiment", "Biological analyses", "Butyltins", "Chemical contaminant analyses", "Clostridium perfringens", "Coral reefs", "Grain size analysis and total carbon", "Heavy metals", "Hydrocarbons", "Marine sediment", "Organochlorines (pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyl compounds, PCBs)", "Organotins", "Pesticides", "Pharmaceuticals and personal care products", "Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP)", "Pollution monitoring", "Sea urchin embryo development toxicity test", "Sediment toxicity", "Water quality analysis", "GRANULOMETRIC SIEVES", "MASS SPECTROMETERS > MASS SPECTROMETERS", "MICROSCOPES > MICROSCOPES", "SEDIMENT CORERS > SEDIMENT CORERS", "TRAPS > TRAPS", "Hach 2100P turbidimeter", "ICP-MS (Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, atomic adsorption spectrometry (AAS), or atomic fluorescence spectrometry", "Incubator for bacterial growth", "ThermoOrion multimeter", "gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)", "gas chromatography/electron capture detection (GC/ECD)", "gas chromatography/flame photometric detection", "high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (Agilent 1100 HPLC/AB Sciex API 4000 MS/M", "microscope for embryo evaluation", "sieve and balance", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > Cinnamon Bay (18N064W0017)", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > Coral Bay (18N064W0067)", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > Cruz Bay (18N064W0062)", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > Francis Bay (18N064W0013)", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > Greater Lameshur Bay (18N064W0024)", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > Johnson's Reef (18N064W0070)", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > Leinster Bay (18N064W0069)", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > St. John (18N064W0011)", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > Trunk Bay (18N064W0009)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Cinnamon Bay (18N064W0017)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Coral Bay (18N064W0067)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Cruz Bay (18N064W0062)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Francis Bay (18N064W0013)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Greater Lameshur Bay (18N064W0024)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Johnson's Reef (18N064W0070)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Leinster Bay (18N064W0069)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Trunk Bay (18N064W0009)", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. John (18N064W0011)", "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA", "NCCOS Research Location > Region > Caribbean Sea", "NCCOS Research Location > U.S. States and Territories > United States Virgin Islands", "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > St. John", "NCCOS Research Location > Region > Caribbean Sea", "NCCOS Research Location > U.S. States and Territories > United States Virgin Islands", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Cinnamon Bay", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Coral Bay", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Cruz Bay", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Francis Bay", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Greater Lameshur Bay", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Johnson's Reef", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Leinster Bay", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > St. John > Trunk Bay", "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. John", "Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument", "Virgin Islands National Park", "L099KT" ]
landingPage	https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
language	[]
license	https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified	2025-05-06T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher	{ "name": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information", "@type": "org:Organization" }
references	[ "https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17784", "https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17783", "https://doi.org/10.1039/c1ay05390f", "https://doi.org/10.25923/p4nc-7m71", "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278695", "http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/rs/lloydkahn.pdf", "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.08.001" ]
rights	otherRestrictions
spatial	-64.6573,18.2942,-64.8032,18.3767
temporal	2021-08-16T00:00:00+00:00/2022-03-07T00:00:00+00:00
theme	[ "geospatial" ]
title	NCCOS Assessment: Post-hurricane assessment of chemical contaminants in nearshore waters and marine sediments at two St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) National Parks, 2021-08-16 to 2022-03-07 (NCEI Accession 0303533)

Have questions or suggestions about this dataset? Reach out to the contact below.

Location