Uncertainty estimates

The fixed and relative standard deviation (\(s\) and \(v\)) derived from the ICES data base (extraction date: 11 January 2022) 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 0.0752
CD Cadmium \(\mu\)g/kg 0.5269 0.0702
CR Chromium \(\mu\)g/kg 3.0000 0.1456
CO Cobalt \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3000 0.1250
CU Copper \(\mu\)g/kg 2.0000 0.0763
PB Lead \(\mu\)g/kg 2.3333 0.1037
HG Mercury \(\mu\)g/kg 0.5410 0.0880
NI Nickel \(\mu\)g/kg 3.3333 0.1470
SE Selenium \(\mu\)g/kg 2.9848 0.0826
AG Silver \(\mu\)g/kg 1.6333 0.1500
SN Tin \(\mu\)g/kg 3.3333 0.2500
ZN Zinc \(\mu\)g/kg 50.0000 0.0740
Organotins MBSN+ Monobutyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3000 0.2000
MPSN+ Monophenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3000 0.2000
DBSN+ Dibutyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3000 0.2000
DPSN+ Diphenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3000 0.2000
TBSN+ Tributyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3000 0.2000
TPSN+ Triphenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3000 0.2000
PAH parent compounds NAP Naphthalene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.2420
ACNLE Acenaphthylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1017 0.2768
ACNE Acenaphthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0567 0.2530
FLE Fluorene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0800 0.2100
PA Phenanthrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1321 0.1468
ANT Anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.2200
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 0.1275
BAA Benzo[a]anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0933 0.1885
CHR Chrysene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0829 0.1400
BAP Benzo[a]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0533 0.2119
BEP Benzo[e]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1014
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 0.1500 0.2225
BGHIP Benzo[g,h,i]perylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0567 0.2100
ICDP Indeno[123-cd]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0633 0.2603
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 0.1345
NAPC4 C4 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0567 0.1177
PAC1 C1 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1826
PAC2 C2 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.1530
PAC3 C3 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1826
DBTC1 C1 Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2500 0.1049
DBTC2 C2 Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3383 0.1073
DBTC3 C3 Dibenzothiophenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4850 0.1071
PAH metabolites NAP2OH 2-hydroxy naphthalene ng/ml 0.1233 0.1750
PA1OH 1-hydroxy phenanthrene ng/ml 0.1233 0.1750
PYR1OH 1-hydroxy pyrene ng/ml 0.1233 0.1500
PYR1OHEQ 1-hydroxy pyrene equivalent \(\mu\)g/ml 0.1233 0.1750
BAP3OH 3-hydroxy benzo(a)pyrene ng/ml 0.1233 0.2000
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers BDE28 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0020 0.2825
BDE47 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0035 0.1667
BDE66 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0015 0.2990
BDE85 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0018 0.2174
BDE99 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0030 0.2308
BD100 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0027 0.2032
BD126 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0030 0.2308
BD153 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0015 0.2500
BD154 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0018 0.2670
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 0.0022 0.2500
HBCDB beta-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0433 0.2500
HBCDG gamma-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0233 0.3000
TBBPA Tetrabromobiphenol-A \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.2500
Organofluorines PFOA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0750 0.1780
PFNA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0500 0.2500
PFDA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0433 0.2495
PFUNDA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0400 0.2416
PFDOA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0467 0.2785
PFTRDA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0700 0.2600
PFTDA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0700 0.3235
PFBS \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.3400
PFHXS \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0183 0.1298
PFOS \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.1998
PFOSA \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1717 0.1650
Polychlorinated biphenyls CB28 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0300 0.1700
CB52 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1683
CB101 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1500
CB105 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0054 0.1750
CB118 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1515
CB126 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0000 0.1641
CB138 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1500
CB153 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1391
CB156 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0033 0.1531
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 0.1280
SCB7 Sum of ICES 7 CBs \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2333 0.1283
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 0.1809
DDTOP DDT (o,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2625
DDTPP DDT (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0133 0.2500
TDEPP TDE (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.1970
HCB Hexachlorobenzene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0117 0.2135
HCBD Hexachlorobutadiene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0226 0.1556
HCEPX Heptachlor epoxide \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0139 0.1650
HCHA alpha-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0035 0.2270
HCHB beta-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2318
HCHG gamma-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0114 0.2731
HCH Sum of HCH A B G \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0133 0.2200
MCCP Medium chain chlorinated paraffin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1390
SCCP Short chain chlorinated paraffin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1397
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 0.1651
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 0.5055 0.0544
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 imputed from PA1OH (no uncertainties or limits of detection in the data base)
  • BD126: \(s\) and \(v\) were imputed from BDE99
  • 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 0.1100
CR Chromium mg/kg 0.2167 0.0900
CU Copper mg/kg 0.1583 0.0905
PB Lead mg/kg 0.2833 0.0905
HG Mercury mg/kg 0.0022 0.1004
NI Nickel mg/kg 0.1500 0.0842
ZN Zinc mg/kg 0.2583 0.0848
Organotins MBSN+ Monobutyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1167 0.2654
MPSN+ Monophenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1167 0.2654
DBSN+ Dibutyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1167 0.2654
DPSN+ Diphenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1167 0.2654
TBSN+ Tributyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1000 0.2400
TPSN+ Triphenyl tin cation \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1000 0.2400
PAH parent compounds NAP Naphthalene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4867 0.1405
ACNLE Acenaphthylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.2713
ACNE Acenaphthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4000 0.1862
FLE Fluorene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4333 0.1879
PA Phenanthrene \(\mu\)g/kg 1.0000 0.1186
ANT Anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1708
DBT Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1667 0.1000
FLU Fluoranthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.0874
PYR Pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.5000 0.0906
BAA Benzo[a]anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1300
CHR Chrysene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.6667 0.1224
BAP Benzo[a]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1500
BEP Benzo[e]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4667 0.0797
BBKF Benzo[b,k]fluoranthene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.6667 0.1500
DBAHA Dibenz[ah]anthracene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.2533
PER Perylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1383 0.1000
BGHIP Benzo[g,h,i]perylene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1500
ICDP Indeno[123-cd]pyrene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3333 0.1148
PAH alkylated compounds NAPC1 C1 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.4467 0.1036
NAPC2 C2 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.5200 0.0724
NAPC3 C3 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0833 0.0899
NAPC4 C4 Naphthalenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1084
PAC1 C1 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3800 0.0666
PAC2 C2 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1117 0.0793
PAC3 C3 Phenanthrenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.3850 0.0833
DBTC1 C1 Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0667 0.0939
DBTC2 C2 Dibenzothiophene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.1283 0.1283
DBTC3 C3 Dibenzothiophenes \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0833 0.0910
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers BDE28 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2537
BDE47 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.1500
BDE66 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0100 0.1977
BDE85 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0100 0.1929
BDE99 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.1997
BD100 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0083 0.1954
BD153 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2246
BD154 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.2220
BD183 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0083 0.3000
BD209 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.2700 0.2628
Organobromines (other) HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0700 0.3212
HBCDA alpha-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0233 0.3000
HBCDB beta-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0233 0.3000
HBCDG gamma-HBCD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0233 0.3296
Polychlorinated biphenyls CB28 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0227 0.1691
CB52 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.2259
CB101 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1519
CB105 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0163 0.1801
CB118 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0300 0.1650
CB138 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1659
CB153 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0333 0.1439
CB156 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0033 0.1741
CB180 \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0300 0.1741
Dioxins CDF2T \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0001 0.2376
CDD1N \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0001 0.2376
TCDD \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0001 0.2376
TEQDFP WHO-TEQ (DFP) TEQ \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0000 0.2376
Organochlorines (other) DDEPP DDE (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0050 0.2600
DDTOP DDT (o,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3000
DDTPP DDT (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0050 0.2600
TDEPP TDE (p,p’) \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3000
HCB Hexachlorobenzene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3761
HCBD Hexachlorobutadiene \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3761
HCEPX Heptachlor epoxide \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3761
HCHA alpha-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0052 0.3000
HCHB beta-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3823
HCHG gamma-HCH \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0050 0.3000
ALD Aldrin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0067 0.3000
DIELD Dieldrin \(\mu\)g/kg 0.0128 0.1883
Normalisers AL Aluminium % 0.0007 0.1256
LI Lithium mg/kg 0.0333 0.1488
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, CDD1N, TEQDFP: \(v\) was imputed from TCDD
  • 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 0.1219
CU Copper \(\mu\)g/l 0.0252 0.0720
PB Lead \(\mu\)g/l 0.0115 0.0895
NI Nickel \(\mu\)g/l 0.0122 0.0611
ZN Zinc \(\mu\)g/l 0.0287 0.0820
Organotins TBSN+ Tributyl tin cation ng/l 0.0550 0.1600
PAH parent compounds NAP Naphthalene ng/l 0.1611 0.1757
ACNLE Acenaphthylene ng/l 0.1167 0.1293
ACNE Acenaphthene ng/l 0.1444 0.1500
FLE Fluorene ng/l 0.1278 0.1342
PA Phenanthrene ng/l 0.2222 0.1095
ANT Anthracene ng/l 0.1444 0.1085
DBT Dibenzothiophene ng/l 0.0001 0.1920
FLU Fluoranthene ng/l 0.0889 0.1288
PYR Pyrene ng/l 0.1444 0.0996
BAA Benzo[a]anthracene ng/l 0.1444 0.1181
CHR Chrysene ng/l 0.1278 0.1370
BAP Benzo[a]pyrene ng/l 0.0667 0.1400
BEP Benzo[e]pyrene ng/l 0.0337 0.1279
BBKF Benzo[b,k]fluoranthene ng/l 0.4556 0.2700
DBAHA Dibenz[ah]anthracene ng/l 0.1611 0.1125
PER Perylene ng/l 0.0172 0.1250
BGHIP Benzo[g,h,i]perylene ng/l 0.0556 0.1154
ICDP Indeno[123-cd]pyrene ng/l 0.1000 0.1500
Organofluorines PFOS ng/l 0.0033 0.1727
Polychlorinated biphenyls CB28 ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
CB52 ng/l 0.0000 0.1495
CB101 ng/l 0.0000 0.1750
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
DDTOP DDT (o,p’) ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
DDTPP DDT (p,p’) ng/l 0.0000 0.0770
TDEPP TDE (p,p’) ng/l 0.0000 0.1643
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 0.1456
DIELD Dieldrin ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
END Endrin ng/l 0.0000 0.1500
ISOD Isodrin ng/l 0.0000 0.2140
Pesticides ATRZ Atrazine ng/l 0.9767 0.1103
GLYPH Glyphosate ng/l 6.1667 0.2030
IMDCP Imidacloprid ng/l 0.0056 0.1500


  • 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: \(s\) and \(v\) was imputed from HCB