GSNI Data Catalogue
The Tellus regional steam water survey of Northern Ireland
Water samples from western Northern Ireland were collected by British Geological Survey (BGS) between 1994 and 1996. Stream sampling over eastern counties was undertaken by the GSNI and the BGS under the Tellus survey in 2005 and 2006.
Water samples were collected slightly upstream of the stream sediment site to avoid contamination by disturbed sediment or pore water, and great care was taken during the sampling procedure to avoid any other contamination. The methods used for collecting the samples were tested in a pilot study in North Wales in 1988 and correspond to those now recommended as international standards for geochemical mapping. The geochemical data therefore conform to the standards set by International Geological Correlation Programme (IGCP) 259 and 360 for the preparation of internationally compatible regional geochemical maps. Sample preservation procedures employed during these studies correspond to recommendations made by the British Standards Institute and International Standards Organisation (BSI, 1986, Guidance on the preservation and handling of samples, BS 6068, Section 6.3; ISO 5667/3-1985).
Stream-water samples were collected from 2,846 sites during the 1994/6 survey and a further 3,063 sites by the Tellus survey in 2005/6. The combined surveys have a sample density of 1 site per 2.3 km2 (total sampling area 13,741 km2). Identical sampling methodologies were employed for both surveys but analytical methods differed. For the 1994/6 survey, two samples were collected in new 30 ml polystyrene bottles, one for multi-element analysis by ICP-AES and ICP-MS, and the other for determination of chloride and nitrate by Ion Chromatography. A third sample was taken in a polyethylene bottle for Total Organic Carbon (TOC). These samples were filtered through 0.45 µm cellulose filters; the containers were rinsed with filtered water from the site before collection of the actual sample. A fourth, unfiltered sample was collected in polythene bottles for the determination of pH and conductivity (30 ml), fluoride (30 ml), uranium (30 ml) and alkalinity (250 ml). All containers were rinsed with stream water prior to sample collection and particular care was taken with the pH and alkalinity samples to eliminate air bubbles and hence minimise degassing. For the later Tellus sampling, Nalgene™ bottles were preferred, but the procedures were similar.
On return to the field base each evening, pH was determined using a temperature-compensated glass combination electrode connected to a high-performance pH meter (Radiometer Model PHM 80), and conductivity was determined using a standard 1 cm path-length cell in conjunction with a conductivity bridge. Samples for ICP-AES and ICP-MS determination were acidified to 1 % v/v using ultrapure Aristar™-grade concentrated nitric acid.
Alkalinity was determined by titration the day after sample collection, using a Hach digital titrator with sulphuric acid (0.8 M or 0.08 M) and bromocresol green indicator. The results are presented as mg/l HCO3. All other samples were stored in cool, dark locations until dispatched to the laboratory, where they were stored at 4°C.
The data are described in Young, Mike; Donald, Alex, eds. 2013 A guide to the Tellus data. Belfast, UK, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, 233pp. available for free download from: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/509171/
The Tellus survey was funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI), now the Department for the Economy (DfE) in Northern Ireland and the INTERREG IVA programme of the European Union (EU) Regional Development Fund.
Simple
- Date (Creation)
- 2007
- Citation identifier
- https://gsni-data.bgs.ac.uk/geonetwork/srv/api/records/cd4702cc-364b-4ebb-adec-a0384c8852fc
- Point of contact
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Organisation name Individual name Electronic mail address Role Geological Survey of Northern Ireland
Publisher
- Maintenance and update frequency
- Not planned
- Metadata author
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Organisation name Individual name Electronic mail address Role Geological Survey of Northern Ireland
Custodian
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GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
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Geology
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Tellus
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- Keywords
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- Access constraints
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
- INSPIRE: no limitations
- Use constraints
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
- Provided under the Open Government Licence: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ We request that you acknowledge that the resource contains Geological Survey of Northern Ireland materials provided under the Open Government Licence.
- Spatial representation type
- Vector
- Denominator
- 250000
- Language
- English
- Character set
- UTF8
- Topic category
-
- Geoscientific information
- Code
- NIR
))
- Begin date
- 2005-01-01
- End date
- 2006-12-31
- Unique resource identifier
- EPSG:29902
- Unique resource identifier
- EPSG:4258
- Unique resource identifier
- EPSG:3857
- Distribution format
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Name Version XYZ
OGC Geopackage
1.2.1
ESRI Geodatabase
Excel
- OnLine resource
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
Conformance result
- Statement
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Information on survey, processing and data conditioning can be found in the following reports:
A Guide to the Tellus Data edited by Young, M.E. and Donald, A.W. can be downloaded at http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/509171/
Metadata
- File identifier
- cd4702cc-364b-4ebb-adec-a0384c8852fc XML
- Metadata language
- English
- Parent identifier
-
The Tellus geochemical surveys of Northern Ireland
909a799c-8767-4ad5-a1e1-7b824fb32e28
- Hierarchy level
- Dataset
- Date stamp
- 2023-11-08T08:32:39
- Metadata standard name
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ISO 19115:2003/19139
- Metadata standard version
-
1.0
- Metadata author
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Organisation name Individual name Electronic mail address Role Geological Survey of Northern Ireland
Point of contact
)))