Analytical inorganic chemistry results for samples collected for the Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response Strategy pilot study, northeastern United States, 2015

Coastal communities are uniquely vulnerable to sea-level rise (SLR) and severe storms such as hurricanes. These events enhance the dispersion and concentration of natural and anthropogenic chemicals and pathogenic microorganisms that could adversely affect the health and resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems in coming years. The U.S. Geological Survey has developed the Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) strategy to define baseline and post-event sediment-bound environmental health (EH) stressors. These data document the major element chemistry, major and trace chemical composition, total sulfur content, inorganic and organic carbon for soil and sediment samples from selected stations in the northeastern US during the 2015 pilot implementation of the SCoRR strategy in response to Hurricane Joaquin and the 2015 South Carolina flood events. A subset of samples were also analyzed for their methyl mercury content, selected based on bulk mercury and total organic carbon values.