The applicability of GIS and Remote Sensing in identifying PBDEs sources using NOAA national status & trends mussel watch program data

Utilizing formats such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing data assessment, an attempt was made to identify possible releasers of effluent waste into the major coastal watershed regions pertaining to ongoing research conducted within monitored mussel watch sites. The categorization of possible contaminating locations was made available through the development of a series of dataset. This dataset was primarily derived from agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA )Mussel Watch Program, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), as well as other state government databases. With the utilization of platforms such as the ESRI^® ArcMap™ software, analysis and assessment of spatially referenced locations, via point, vector, and line data format were used to depict points and sites of interest within sampled locations and areas of Interest (AOI). Points and areas of interest (AOI) were also verified using Remote Sensing imagery in order to maintain spatial and spectral integrity within areas that were detected with known contaminant. As such, the contaminant Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) within observable mussel watch sites was cross checked with those assessed by the NOAA´s Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA), in order to clearly identify all the possible sources of the contaminant Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) within the sampled locations. With the use of this data, researchers are able to identify current as well future possible sources of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) contaminant contributors within monitored mussel watch sites and other fragile coastal ecosystems.