What to do?

Students will participate in a scientific research project through hands-on activities by sampling fish filets, measuring and logging important field and fish data and shipping samples for analysis. The target fish species will be freshwater or saltwater fish used for food in the local communities. Detailed instruction for the sampling procedure, including equipment, is available on this web site. Schools are encouraged to acquire the necessary equipment such as disposable laboratory gloves, scalpels, forceps, scissors etc. for the fish sampling and dissection. List of necessary equipment is available in the guide:

• Guidelines for fish sampling (PDF)
  Norwegian version (PDF)


• Video showing sample preparation

Bioassay analyses to measure levels of POPs will be carried out by experts, and schools will then receive toxicology results for own samples and those of other regions to use as a basis for evaluation and formulating reports. More information here:

• Sample preparation, evaluation of bioassay results and writing report (PDF)

It is important to complete datasheets for the samples you are processing. You can find PDF-versions of the datasheet here:

• English datasheet (PDF)
  Word-compatible version (RTF)


• Norwegian datasheet (PDF)
  Word-compatible version (RTF)

Presentations on the GlobalPOP project

Use of figures/photos from the ppt files: Please remember to credit the owners!

• Global POP - dioksiner i matfisk (PDF) Presentation of GlobalPOP given at Svalbard (In Norwegian).
• "Biologisk" analyse av dioksiner (PDF) Presentation of GlobalPOP given at Svalbard (In Norwegian).
• Informasjon om Global POP på oppstartsmøte hos Norges forskningsråd, 29. aug. 2007 (PDF) Presentation of the Global POP project (In Norwegian).
• Global POP - Dioxins in local fish - School pupils working as environmental scientists (PDF) Presentation given in Latvia, 29.10.07 - 1.11.07.
• Global POP - Dioxins in local fish - School pupils working as environmental scientists Presentation given in Warsaw 17.04.08 by Eldbjørg Sofie Heimstad (PowerPoint-file)
• Biological analyses of dioxins Presentation given in Warsaw 19.04.08 by Javier Martinez Alarcon (PowerPoint-file)
• Global POP: et internasjonalt skoleprosjekt i polaråret Skandinavisk Lærerkurs, Lysebu, Oslo 12-14 oktober 2008, in Norwegian (PowerPoint-file)
• Biological analyses of dioxins (PDF) Presentation given in Oslo 13.10.08 by Javier Martinez Alarcon
• School students working as environmental scientists - Global POP (PDF) Presentation by Eldbjørg Sofie Heimstad at IPY session January 21 2009, Arctic Frontier conference, Tromsø.
• Presentasjon av Global POP (PDF), Presentasjon av Eldbjørg Sofie Heimstad, Lærerkurs Svalbard, UNIS, 22. april 2009 (In Norwegian)
• Fish Monitoring - a Norway School Program: Dioxins in local fish, Presentation by Javier Martinez Alarcon at Open day, BDS Amsterdam, The Netherlands (PDF).
• Global POP poster (PDF), ICCE2009 conference, Stockholm University, 14-17 June 2009 (PDF).
• Global POP- Dioksiner i fisk fra ulike land, Undervisning & Formidling - Polarårprosjekt, Eldbjørg Sofie Heimstad 2010 (PDF)
• Future scientists in work - Global POP (PDF) Outreach & Education, International Polar Year

More information about Global POP here (PDF)