The GMP2 International waters dataset contains data and information from Cruises on POPs in surface water; for water-soluble fluorinated POPs only (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride). Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have emerged as significant global environmental pollutants with persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties. The data for this dataset was collected in various scientific papers. Data were sampled between years 2005 and 2011. These studies aimed to investigate global PFC distribution and levels in water environment around the Earth. The list of cruises described in presented papers: • Alcor (Kirchgeorg et al. 2010) • Amundsen (Benskin et al. 2012) • ANTXXV (Ahrens et al. 2010a) • ANTXXVII/1 (Zhao et al. 2012) • ANTXXVII/2 (Zhao et al. 2012) • ARK-XXIV/3 (Zhao et al. 2012) • Endeavor (Benskin et al. 2012) • Ga 442 (Theobald et al. 2011) • Ga 446 (Theobald et al. 2011) • Malaspina (González-Gaya et al. 2014) • Maria S. Merian 2007 (Ahrens et al. 2009) • Maria S. Merian 2008 (Kirchgeorg et al. 2010) • Oden 2005 (Benskin et al. 2012) • Oden 2007 (Benskin et al. 2012) • Polarstern 2007 (Ahrens et al. 2009) • Polarstern 2008 (Ahrens et al. 2010b) • Snow Dragon (Cai et al. 2012) List of papers: • Ahrens, L., Barber, J. L., Xie, Z., Ebinghaus, R. (2009). Longitudinal and latitudinal distribution of perfluoroalkyl compounds in the surface water of the Atlantic Ocean. Environmental Science and Technology, 43(9), 3122–7. DOI: 10.1021/es803507p • Ahrens, L., Gerwinski, W., Theobald, N., Ebinghaus, R. (2010b). Sources of polyfluoroalkyl compounds in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Norwegian Sea: Evidence from their spatial distribution in surface water. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 60(2), 255–60. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.09.013 • Ahrens, L., Xie, Z., Ebinghaus, R. (2010a). Distribution of perfluoroalkyl compounds in seawater from northern Europe, Atlantic Ocean, and Southern Ocean. Chemosphere, 78(8), 1011–6. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.11.038 • Benskin, J. P., Muir, D. C. G., Scott, B. F., Spencer, C., De Silva, A. O., Kylin, H., et al. (2012). Perfluoroalkyl acids in the Atlantic and Canadian Arctic Oceans. Environmental Science and Technology, 46(11), 5815–23. DOI: 10.1021/es300578x • Cai, M., Zhao, Z., Yin, Z., Ahrens, L., Huang, P., Cai, M., et al. (2012). Occurrence of perfluoroalkyl compounds in surface waters from the North Pacific to the Arctic Ocean. Environmental Science and Technology, 46(2), 661–8. DOI: 10.1021/es2026278 • González-Gaya, B., Dachs, J., Roscales, J. L., Caballero, G., Begona, J. (2014). Perfluoroalkylated Substances in the Global Tropical and Subtropical Surface Oceans. Environmental Science and Technology, 48(22), 13076–84. DOI: 10.1021/es503490z • Kirchgeorg, T., Weinberg, I., Dreyer, A., Ebinghaus, R. (2010). Perfluorinated compounds in marine surface waters: data from the Baltic Sea and methodological challenges for future studies. Environmental Chemistry, 7(5), 429–34. DOI: 10.1071/EN10039 • Theobald, N., Caliebe, C., Gerwinski, W., Hühnerfuss, H., Lepom, P. (2011). Occurrence of perfluorinated organic acids in the North and Baltic seas. Part 1: distribution in sea water. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 18(7), 1057–69. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-011-0451-2 • Zhao, Z., Xie, Z., Möller, A., Sturm, R., Tang, J., Zhang, G., Ebinghaus, R. (2012). Distribution and long-range transport of polyfluoroalkyl substances in the Arctic, Atlantic Ocean and Antarctic coast. Environmental Pollution, 170, 71–7. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.06.004

GMP2 Africa Region dataset contains information on POPs concentrations in ambient air, human tissue - breast milk and surface water; for water-soluble fluorinated POPs only (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride). The second global data collection that can be seen in this dataset was held during 2013–2014 and it contained information on 23 POPs listed in the Stockholm Convention when the second global data collection took place. The data were sampled between 2008 and 2014, however also older data were reported. The Africa Region is characterized by six different climatic zones that have influence on the movement and distribution of POPs. In addition, except for large deserts in Northern and Southern Africa, the regions face challenges associated with hot and humid climatic conditions that promote growth of a myriad of pests and disease vectors. POPs have therefore been used in many sectors including agriculture, industry and public health to control pests and diseases. The region collaborated with the following programmes and strategic partners to obtain data on core media: • the MONET-Africa project coordinated by the Centre of Excellence in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Brno, Czech Republic (RECETOX), • the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) programme coordinated by Environment Canada, • the World Health Organization (WHO) – Milk survey