Uncertainty estimates

The fixed and relative standard deviation (\(s\) and \(v\)) derived from the ICES data base (extraction date: 1 February 2021) and used to estimate missing uncertainties are tabulated below for biota, sediment and water. The unit only applies to the fixed standard deviation; the relative standard deviation is unitless. The notes at the bottom of each table describe the approach taken when there were insufficient data in the ICES data base to derive the fixed and relative standard deviations.


Biota

group code name unit fixed sd relative sd
Metals AS Arsenic \(\mu\)g/kg 3.1333 0.0706
CD Cadmium \(\mu\)g/kg 0.5269 0.0701
CR Chromium \(\mu\)g/kg 3.0000 0.1368
CO Cobalt \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3000 0.1013
CU Copper \(\mu\)g/kg 2.0000 0.0763
PB Lead \(\mu\)g/kg 2.3333 0.1139
HG Mercury \(\mu\)g/kg 0.5457 0.0882
NI Nickel \(\mu\)g/kg 3.3333 0.1490
SE Selenium \(\mu\)g/kg 2.9980 0.0826
AG Silver \(\mu\)g/kg 1.6333 0.1500
SN Tin \(\mu\)g/kg 6.0000 0.2500
ZN Zinc \(\mu\)g/kg 50.0000 0.0740
Organotins MBSN+ Monobutyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3167 0.2000
MPSN+ Monophenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3167 0.2000
DBSN+ Dibutyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3167 0.2000
DPSN+ Diphenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3167 0.2000
TBSN+ Tributyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3167 0.2000
TPSN+ Triphenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3167 0.2000
PAH parent compounds NAP Naphthalene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.2410
ACNLE Acenaphthylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1017 0.2750
ACNE Acenaphthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0567 0.2530
FLE Fluorene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0617 0.2100
PA Phenanthrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1321 0.1459
ANT Anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.2364
DBT Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1000 0.2354
FLU Fluoranthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1230
PYR Pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1271
BAA Benzo[a]anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0933 0.1888
CHR Chrysene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0829 0.1399
BAP Benzo[a]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0533 0.2092
BEP Benzo[e]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1006
BBKF Benzo[b,k]fluoranthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1400 0.1359
DBAHA Dibenz[ah]anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0450 0.2306
PER Perylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.2225
BGHIP Benzo[g,h,i]perylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0567 0.2175
ICDP Indeno[123-cd]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0633 0.2627
PAH alkylated compounds NAPC1 C1 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3667 0.2188
NAPC2 C2 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1207
NAPC3 C3 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1867 0.1344
NAPC4 C4 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0567 0.1150
PAC1 C1 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1798
PAC2 C2 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.1555
PAC3 C3 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1798
DBTC1 C1 Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2500 0.1040
DBTC2 C2 Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3383 0.1072
DBTC3 C3 Dibenzothiophenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4850 0.1071
PAH metabolites NAP2OH 2-hydroxy naphthalene ng/ml 0.1233 0.2000
PA1OH 1-hydroxy phenanthrene ng/ml 0.1233 0.2000
PYR1OH 1-hydroxy pyrene ng/ml 0.1233 0.1500
PYR1OHEQ 1-hydroxy pyrene equivalent \(\mu\)g/ml 0.1233 0.2000
BAP3OH 3-hydroxy benzo(a)pyrene ng/ml 0.1233 0.2000
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers BDE28 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0020 0.2681
BDE47 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0035 0.1875
BDE66 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0017 0.2990
BDE85 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0026 0.2087
BDE99 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0030 0.2356
BD100 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0026 0.1787
BD126 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0028 0.2000
BD153 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0018 0.2469
BD154 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0018 0.2352
BD183 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0026 0.2655
BD209 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.2556
SBDE6 Sum of BDE 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0105 0.1875
Organobromines (other) HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0167 0.2500
HBCDA alpha-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0020 0.2500
HBCDB beta-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0433 0.2500
HBCDG gamma-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0233 0.2879
TBBPA Tetrabromobiphenol-A \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.2500
Organofluorines PFOA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0750 0.1765
PFNA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0500 0.2300
PFDA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0433 0.2477
PFUNDA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0400 0.2416
PFTRDA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0700 0.2500
PFTDA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0700 0.3408
PFBS \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.3400
PFHXS \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0183 0.1281
PFOS \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.1815
PFOSA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1717 0.1650
Polychlorinated biphenyls CB28 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0300 0.1619
CB52 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1550
CB101 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1500
CB105 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0054 0.2000
CB118 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1500
CB126 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0000 0.1614
CB138 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0422 0.1410
CB153 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0439 0.1286
CB156 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0033 0.1514
CB169 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0001 0.1400
CB180 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1500
SCB6 Sum of ICES 6 CBs \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2000 0.1250
SCB7 Sum of ICES 7 CBs \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2333 0.1250
Dioxins CDF2T \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0000 0.1497
CDD1N \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0000 0.1500
TCDD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0000 0.1400
TEQDFP WHO-TEQ (DFP) TEQ \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0000 0.1375
Organochlorines (other) DDEPP DDE (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0167 0.1771
DDTPP DDT (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0133 0.2500
TDEPP TDE (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.1830
HCB Hexachlorobenzene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0117 0.2135
HCBD Hexachlorobutadiene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0226 0.1562
HCEPX Heptachlor epoxide \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0167 0.1650
HCHA alpha-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0035 0.2270
HCHB beta-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2086
HCHG gamma-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0120 0.2725
HCH Sum of HCH A B G \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0133 0.2200
MCCP Medium chain chlorinated paraffin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1250
SCCP Short chain chlorinated paraffin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1250
ALD Aldrin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0050 0.2500
DIELD Dieldrin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0036 0.2000
END Endrin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0172 0.1339
ISOD Isodrin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.2500
OCDAN Oxychlordane \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0010 0.1750
Biological effects (other) ACHE nmol/min/mg protein 0.0000 0.4000
ALAD ng/min/mg protein 0.0000 0.2000
EROD pmol/min/mg protein 1.0000 0.0588
GST nmol/min/mg protein 0.0000 0.2000


  • DBSN+, MBSN+, TPSN+, DPSN+ and MPSN+: \(s\) and \(v\) were imputed from TBSN+
  • PAC3: \(s\) and \(v\) were imputed from PAC1
  • PA1OH, BAP3OH: \(s\) was imputed from PYR1OH (no limits of detection in the data base)
  • NAP2OH, PYR1OHEQ: \(s\) and \(v\) were set to the same values as PA1OH and BAP3OH (no uncertainties or limits of detection in the data base)
  • BD126: \(s\) and \(v\) were set to 0.0028 and 0.2 respectively (imputed from the penta BDEs BDE99 and BD100)
  • ACHE: \(v\) was set to 0.4 (median value) and \(s\) was set to 0 (no limits of detection)
  • GST: \(v\) was set to 0.2 (median value) and \(s\) was set to 0 (no limits of detection)
  • ALAD: \(s\) and \(v\) were set to 0 and 0.2 based on typical values for other biological effects (no uncertainties or limits of detection)
  • Scope for Growth (not tabulated above): this is assessed on the untransformed scale (not the logarithmic scale) and \(s\) and \(v\) were set to 0.1 and 0


Sediment

group code name unit fixed sd relative sd
Metals AS Arsenic mg/kg 0.1000 0.1003
CD Cadmium mg/kg 0.0050 0.1148
CR Chromium mg/kg 0.1833 0.0900
CU Copper mg/kg 0.1583 0.0792
PB Lead mg/kg 0.2500 0.0905
HG Mercury mg/kg 0.0022 0.0958
NI Nickel mg/kg 0.1667 0.0829
ZN Zinc mg/kg 0.2583 0.0925
Organotins MBSN+ Monobutyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1650 0.2600
MPSN+ Monophenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1650 0.2600
DBSN+ Dibutyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1333 0.2248
DPSN+ Diphenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1333 0.2248
TBSN+ Tributyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2283 0.2400
TPSN+ Triphenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2283 0.2400
PAH parent compounds NAP Naphthalene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4867 0.1400
ACNLE Acenaphthylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.2786
ACNE Acenaphthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1729
FLE Fluorene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4333 0.2000
PA Phenanthrene \(\mu\)g/kg 1.0000 0.1172
ANT Anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1673
DBT Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.0791
FLU Fluoranthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.0839
PYR Pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.5000 0.0822
BAA Benzo[a]anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1225
CHR Chrysene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.6667 0.1155
BAP Benzo[a]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1630
BEP Benzo[e]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4667 0.0764
BBKF Benzo[b,k]fluoranthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.6667 0.1454
DBAHA Dibenz[ah]anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3433 0.2537
PER Perylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1383 0.1000
BGHIP Benzo[g,h,i]perylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1409
ICDP Indeno[123-cd]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1161
PAH alkylated compounds NAPC1 C1 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4467 0.0979
NAPC2 C2 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.5200 0.0629
NAPC3 C3 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0833 0.0680
NAPC4 C4 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1080
PAC1 C1 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3800 0.0467
PAC2 C2 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1117 0.0538
PAC3 C3 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3850 0.0328
DBTC1 C1 Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.0830
DBTC2 C2 Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1283 0.0739
DBTC3 C3 Dibenzothiophenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0833 0.0700
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers BDE28 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2883
BDE47 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.1429
BDE66 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0100 0.2190
BDE85 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0100 0.2412
BDE99 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0100 0.1727
BD100 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0100 0.1812
BD153 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2051
BD154 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.1954
BD183 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0083 0.3000
BD209 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2700 0.2800
Organobromines (other) HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0700 0.3032
HBCDA alpha-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0233 0.3305
HBCDB beta-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0233 0.2250
HBCDG gamma-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0233 0.3005
Polychlorinated biphenyls CB28 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0200 0.1664
CB52 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0288 0.2200
CB101 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1490
CB105 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0163 0.1740
CB118 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0222 0.1488
CB138 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1491
CB153 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0243 0.1375
CB156 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0010 0.1738
CB180 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1738
Dioxins CDF2T \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0001 0.2496
CDD1N \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0001 0.2496
TCDD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0001 0.2496
TEQDFP WHO-TEQ (DFP) TEQ \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0000 0.2496
Organochlorines (other) DDEPP DDE (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0037 0.2600
DDTPP DDT (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0037 0.2600
TDEPP TDE (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3000
HCB Hexachlorobenzene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2829
HCBD Hexachlorobutadiene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2829
HCEPX Heptachlor epoxide \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2829
HCHA alpha-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0052 0.2500
HCHB beta-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3695
HCHG gamma-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0040 0.3000
ALD Aldrin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3000
DIELD Dieldrin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0113 0.1581
Normalisers AL Aluminium % 0.0007 0.1032
LI Lithium mg/kg 0.0333 0.1465
CORG Organic Carbon % 0.0100 0.1000


  • MPSN+, DPSN+, TPSN+: \(s\) and \(v\) were imputed from MBSN+, DBSN+ and TBSN+ respectively
  • CB156: \(v\) was imputed from CB180
  • CDF2T, TCDD, TEQDFP: \(v\) was imputed from CDD1N
  • DDTPP: \(s\) and \(v\) were imputed from DDEPP
  • HCBD, HCEPX: \(s\) and \(v\) were imputed from HCB


Water

group code name unit fixed sd relative sd
Metals CD Cadmium \(\mu\)g/l 0.0023 0.1220
CU Copper \(\mu\)g/l 0.0252 0.0720
PB Lead \(\mu\)g/l 0.0077 0.0940
NI Nickel \(\mu\)g/l 0.0105 0.0611
ZN Zinc \(\mu\)g/l 0.0287 0.0820
Organotins TBSN+ Tributyl tin cation ng/l 0.1000 0.1250
PAH parent compounds NAP Naphthalene ng/l 0.1611 0.1760
ACNLE Acenaphthylene ng/l 0.0333 0.1376
ACNE Acenaphthene ng/l 0.1444 0.1500
FLE Fluorene ng/l 0.0556 0.1344
PA Phenanthrene ng/l 0.1945 0.1250
ANT Anthracene ng/l 0.1444 0.1085
DBT Dibenzothiophene ng/l 0.0001 0.1920
FLU Fluoranthene ng/l 0.0889 0.1351
PYR Pyrene ng/l 0.1444 0.1043
BAA Benzo[a]anthracene ng/l 0.1444 0.1090
CHR Chrysene ng/l 0.1278 0.1474
BAP Benzo[a]pyrene ng/l 0.0667 0.1400
BEP Benzo[e]pyrene ng/l 0.0337 0.1265
BBKF Benzo[b,k]fluoranthene ng/l 0.4556 0.2700
DBAHA Dibenz[ah]anthracene ng/l 0.1278 0.1125
PER Perylene ng/l 0.0172 0.1167
BGHIP Benzo[g,h,i]perylene ng/l 0.0556 0.1250
ICDP Indeno[123-cd]pyrene ng/l 0.0361 0.1500
Organofluorines PFOS ng/l 0.0033 0.2000
Polychlorinated biphenyls CB28 ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
CB52 ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
CB101 ng/l 0.0000 0.1875
CB118 ng/l 0.0000 0.2000
CB138 ng/l 0.0000 0.1875
CB153 ng/l 0.0000 0.1875
CB180 ng/l 0.0000 0.2000
Organochlorines (other) DDEPP DDE (p,p’) ng/l 0.0000 0.1460
DDTPP DDT (p,p’) ng/l 0.0000 0.0770
TDEPP TDE (p,p’) ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
HCB Hexachlorobenzene ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
HCBD Hexachlorobutadiene ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
HCEPX Heptachlor epoxide ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
HCHA alpha-HCH ng/l 0.0000 0.1390
HCHB beta-HCH ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
HCHG gamma-HCH ng/l 0.0000 0.1140
HCH Sum of HCH A B G ng/l 0.0000 0.1076
ALD Aldrin ng/l 0.0000 0.1250
DIELD Dieldrin ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
END Endrin ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
ISOD Isodrin ng/l 0.0000 0.2225
Pesticides ATRZ Atrazine ng/l 0.9767 0.1111
GLYPH Glyphosate ng/l 6.1667 0.2135
IMDCP Imidacloprid ng/l 0.1444 0.1275


  • Polychlorinated biphenyls: \(s\) was set to 0 (few analytical laboratories with widely varying limits of detection)
  • CB180: \(v\) was set to 0.2 (highest of the other polychlorinated biphenyls)
  • Organochlorines (other): \(s\) was set to 0 (few analytical laboratories with widely varying limits of detection)
  • HCBD, HCEPX: \(v\) was imputed from HCB