Baseline contaminant assessment on the remote Storfjorden coasts of southeast Svalbard

Edgeøya is located in the southeast of Svalbard. The southeast corner is still relatively unspoilt with minor fishing and tourisms activities in summer time compared to the western side of the archipelago. It receives the dominant air mass from south-westerly winds, which can transport different types of contamination such as chemicals and microplastics. It therefore serves as relevant background area for contaminants coming from other regions.

During the SEES2020 expedition terrestrial samples will be collected along the Storfjord coast (Kapp Lee in particular) to assess background levels of microplastics and chemical contaminants (Hg, PAHs). This will act as baseline for future changes.