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Chemical analysis for explosive compounds in water, sediment, and flatfish Limanda limanda (dab) collected from shipwrecks in the North Sea to assess the biological effects of old World War munitions

Description: This dataset documents field investigations on release of legacy World War I munition explosive compounds into the surrounding marine environment, with a focus on shipwreck sites in the North Sea. Three historically well-documented wrecks were selected: the light cruisers SMS Mainz and SMS Ariadne, and the minelayer submarine UC30. These wrecks were chosen based on detailed archival information regarding their sinking circumstances and cargo, their unambiguous identification, and their accessibility for scientific diving operations. As a munition-free control, a reference area outside known wreck fields was sampled (Naturschutzgebiet Borkum Riffgrund). The flatfish Limanda limanda (dab) was selected as a sentinel species. Sampling was conducted during several cruises with the research vessel Heincke (HE 573, April 2021 – SMS Mainz; HE 596, April 2022 – UC30 and SMS Ariadne; HE 607, September 2022 – UC30; HE 613, February 2023 – SMS Ariadne) and with the Uthörn (May 2022 – reference site). Water was sampled with a CTD rosette water sampler at different depths and processed on board by solid phase extraction at 4 °C. Sediment was sampled with a Van Veen grab sampler and frozen at -20 °C. Fish were caught using bottom trawls deployed as close as possible to the wreck structures. Captured fish were transferred to seawater tanks prior to dissection. Each specimen was measured, weighed, and assessed biometrically to calculate condition factors as indicators of general health. Tissue samples were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -20 °C. Samples were processed in the lab according to established protocols. All samples were analyzed by gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for the explosive TNT and its metabolites 2- and 4-ADNT.

Global identifier: 

Doi(
    "10.1594/PANGAEA.988023",
)

Types: 
DataMeasurements(
    DataMeasurements {
        domain: Unspecified,
        station: None,
        measured_variables: [
            "2,4,6-trinitrotoluene",
            "2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, per unit sediment dry mass",
            "2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene",
            "2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, per unit sediment dry mass",
            "4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene",
            "4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, per unit sediment dry mass",
            "DATE/TIME",
            "DEPTH, water",
            "Event label",
            "Family",
            "LATITUDE",
            "LONGITUDE",
            "Limanda limanda, bile, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene",
            "Limanda limanda, bile, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrolouene",
            "Limanda limanda, bile, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrolouene",
            "Limanda limanda, blood, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, per wet mass",
            "Limanda limanda, blood, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, per wet mass",
            "Limanda limanda, blood, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, per wet mass",
            "Limanda limanda, gills, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, per dry mass",
            "Limanda limanda, gills, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, per dry mass",
            "Limanda limanda, gills, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, per dry mass",
            "Limanda limanda, liver, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, per wet mass",
            "Limanda limanda, liver, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, per wet mass",
            "Limanda limanda, liver, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, per wet mass",
            "Limanda limanda, mass",
            "Limanda limanda, muscle, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, per dry mass",
            "Limanda limanda, muscle, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, per dry mass",
            "Limanda limanda, muscle, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene, per dry mass",
            "Limanda limanda, sex",
            "Limanda limanda, total length",
            "Limanda limanda, urine, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene",
            "Limanda limanda, urine, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene",
            "Limanda limanda, urine, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene",
            "Location",
            "Sample ID",
            "Species, unique identification",
            "Species, unique identification (Semantic URI)",
            "Species, unique identification (URI)",
            "Station label",
        ],
        methods: [
            "CTD probe",
            "Gas chromatography, coupled with tandem mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS), Thermo Scientific, TSQ8000 Evo",
            "Measuring board",
            "Scale",
            "Visual inspection",
        ],
    },
)

Tags: Biologische Wirkung ? Fisch ? Urin ? Meerwasser ? Stickstoff ? Munition ? Geografische Koordinaten ? Chemische Analyse ? Marines Ökosystem ? Blut ? Öffentliche Gesundheit ? Wasserprobe ? Sediment ? Wasser ? Forschungsschiff ? Fischerei ? Wassergewinnung ? Nordsee ?

Region: North Sea

Bounding boxes: 6.14796° .. 7.95° x 53.564126° .. 55.51°

License: Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0

Language: Englisch/English

Organisations

Persons

Issued: 2026-01-16

Modified: 2026-01-16

Time ranges: 2021-04-10 - 2023-02-21

Resources

Status

Quality score

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