A META DATABASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAMS - CONCEPT AND EVALUATION

Eighty one environmental monitoring programmes have been randomly selected and stored in a meta database. The programmes were compared concerning their concept, sample and site description, sample treatment, analytical methods and information exchange. The datafields are based on a detailed questionnaire, which is oriented on the guidelines for specimen banking. The programmes were classified on the basis of the main environmental compartments considered: air, soil, water and biota. Most include the measurement of pollutants in one or more media and some include measurements of biological or physical effects. Programme comparison was difficult because of the differences in concept, site descriptions, sample treatments and analytical methods. Based on this study, a harmonization of long term monitoring programmes, conducted by the state governments of Germany, should be undertaken. © 1991, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.