Dataset for PCBs and OCPs in intertidal sediment and surface-mixed layer water from Lagos lagoon, southwest coast of Nigeria

Abstract

Sediment quality and the integrity of coastal aquatic ecosystems are deteriorating, particularly in regions with unregulated discharges of chemical pollutants into the environment. Although organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been banned in recent decades for their adverse effects on the environment and human and animal health, these organic micropollutants are frequently detected in many aquatic systems. This dataset reports baseline concentrations of 27 PCBs and 20 OCPs analysed in surface-mixed layer water and sediment samples collected from designated sampling locations in the Lagos lagoon, off the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria. The EPA Method 3570 (SW-846) and EPA Method 3510C (SW-846) with slight modifications were used for sediment and water extraction/cleanup procedures, respectively. Data were acquired using gas chromatography (GC) Agillent 6890 and 5890 equipped with electron capture detector (ECD). Data are reported in ng/L and µg/kg for concentrations of OCPs and PCBs in surface-mixed layer water and sediment samples, respectively. The interpretation of this dataset is fully discussed in the related research articles by Benson et al. (2023) and Unyimadu and Benson (2023).

Keywords

• Organic micropollutant occurrence
• Sediment contamination
• Polychlorinated biphenyls
• Organochlorinated pesticides
• Surface water pollution