Contaminants in the Derwent Estuary - 20 Years On

Recent surveys as part of the CSIRO Coastal Zone Program have measured a range of chemical contaminants throughout the Derwent Estuary. Measured trace metal concentrations have been compared with data obtained in a survey in 1975. Organic contaminants, such as hydrocarbons or resin acids, or the faecal biomarker coprostanol have little or no data for a similar comparison. Long-term monitoring is advocated as being essential to evaluating measures to improve the estuarine environment.