Dredging sites and the Belgian continental shelf

Bacteria generic abundance in sediment; Sediment grain size parameters; Nitrate concentration parameters in the water column; Phosphate concentration parameters in the water column; Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples; Concentration of other organic contaminants in sediment samples; Sediment water content, porosity and surface area; Concentration of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in sediment samples; Geological sample density; Alkalinity, acidity and pH of the water column; Carbon concentrations in sediment; Inorganic chemical composition of sediment or rocks

The monitoring program was executed in order to obtain a first comprehensive report on the environmental aspects of dredging activities. The dredged materials are dumped into the Southern Bight of the North Sea. In order to evaluate the degree of contamination of the dredged sediment against the natural background levels, 77 samples of bottom sediment from the dredging areas, 3 samples of dredged material from the hopper or trailing suction dredger were taken. Furthermore, 10 bottom samples from the Belgian continental shelf outside the navigation channels were added.

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Operational Directorate Natural Environment, Belgian Marine Data Centre
Vautierstraat 29
Brussels

1000
Belgium