Co-ordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme – Assessment manual for contaminants in sediment and biota

This CEMP Assessment Manual is a companion document to the series of annual assessments of data on reported by OSPAR Contracting Parties on hazardous substances in the marine sediments and biota under the OSPAR Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme (CEMP). The manual has been developed by the experts in the OSPAR Working Group on Monitoring (MON) to provide detailed information on the assessment methodologies that are employed in the preparation of these assessments.

The Manual gives details of the methods used for selection of bases, normalisation of concentrations in sediments, temporal trend analysis and determination of background concentrations. Details of the presentation techniques used by MON in OSPAR assessments are also provided.

The manual will be updated as the techniques used by MON are matured.