GENASIS: On-Line Data Browser for Environmental Monitoring and Associated Information Systems

The current environmental research is producing large quantities of data on all environmental matrices and number of chemical and biological endpoints. However, there is a paradox in this situation that we suffer from lack of representative data, since their production has not been accordingly supported by development of systems that make them accessible for analysis. The introduced GENASIS data browser aims in its current version on the problem of persistent organic pollutants and the analysis, visualization and interpretation of data from their monitoring networks. The development of the GENASIS involves problems of the so called information pyramid: monitoring (obtaining environmental data), data validation (including uncertainty quantification), data analysis, and methods of aggregation of data from different sources, model generalization and interpretation of results, and their presentation. Within the frame of the GENASIS data browser, we introduce a user-friendly system for the visualization and analysis of contamination of all environmental compartments by persistent organic pollutants and evaluation of actual POPs contamination, its long-term trends and seasonal fluctuations. Project outcomes are useful as information source both for lay public and experts, as well as for the process of the Stockholm Convention implementation.