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Annex B-7: Units and conversion
This notes summarises the units that should be used for data submission within the COMBINE programme, and also gives the relevant formulas for conversion between different commonly used units.
References are made to the appropriate sections of the COMBINE Manual.
Please note that the units dm3 and cm3 are used throughout the note, although the units l (litre) and ml (millilitre) would be equally correct.
Part 1: Units
| Parameter | Symbol | Unit | Comment |
| Temperature | t | C | See Annex C2 |
| Salinity | S | See Annex C2 | |
| Secchi depth (light attenuation) | m | according to the current definition of the Practical Salinity Scale of 1978 (PSS78) See Annex C2 | |
| Current cpeed | cm/s | report as compass directions; see Annex C2 | |
| Dissolved oxygen | DO | cm³/dm³ | See Annex C2 |
| Oxygen saturation | reported as fraction (%); see Annex C2 | ||
| Hydrogen sulphide | μmol/dm³ | See Annex C2 | |
| Nutrients | μmol/dm³ | as N, P or Si; see Annex C2 | |
| Total P and N | TP/TN | μmol/dm³ | See Annex C2 |
| pH | NBS-scale; see Annex C2 | ||
| Alkalinity | mmol/dm³ | as carbonate, see Annex C2 | |
| Particulate and dissolved organic matter (TOC, POC,DOC and PON) | μmol/dm³ | as C or N; see Annex C2 | |
| Humic matter | depending on way of calibration; see Annex C2 | ||
| Heavy metals in water | ng/dm³ or pg/dm³ | dissolved | |
| Halogenated organics in water | ng/dm³ | ||
| PAH in water | ng/dm³ | ||
| Heavy metals in biota | μg/kg | wet weight | |
| Halogenated organics in biota | μg/kg or ng/kg | wet weight, reported together with lipid content | |
| Total suspended matter load | mg/dm³ | ||
| Chlorophyll-a | Chl-a | mg/m³ | See Annex C2 |
| Primary production (as carbon uptake) | mg/m³*h | See Annex C5 | |
| Phytoplankton species | See Annex C6 | ||
| - abundance | Counting units/dm³ | ||
| - biomass | mm³/dm³ | ||
| Mesozooplankton | See Annex C7 | ||
| - abundance | Individuals/m³ | ||
| - biomass | mm³/m³; mg/m³ | ||
| Macrozoobenthos | See Annex C8 | ||
| - abundance | Counting units/m2 | ||
| - biomass | g/m2 | Dry or wet weight |
Last updated: 4.1.2008