_{Dataset for Chapter 2: The state of research on perfluorinated substances in aquatic vertebrates: knowledge gaps and research priorities. Part of a thesis for the degree of Master of Philosophy}

This dataset was compiled as part of a chapter for a Master of Philosophy thesis. The dataset contains information on 5558 samples identified from 492 relevant papers which met the inclusion criteria described in the thesis methods.

The following information was extracted from each relevant paper, where available: Vertebrate class (Amphibians, Birds, Fish, Mammals, Reptiles); species; tissue type(s) collected; sample type(s) (described below) and the geographic location(s) where the sample was collected (country/region, latitude and longitude). Often multiple samples were collected from more than one tissue type, sample type, vertebrate class and location within a single paper. To avoid over-representation of samples from any particular paper, I used the following protocol below to define a ‘sample’. Within a paper, a new sample was defined as a separate vertebrate class, species, tissue type, sample type and/or location of sample collection. Sample sites were determined as approximately more than 20km apart in any direction, using the measurement tool on Google Maps (Google, 2023). If coordinates were not given in a paper, the approximate coordinates based on the location description or figures of sample sites were manually derived from Google Maps (Google, 2023). For locations missing coordinates that spanned multiple latitude bands (i.e. oceans, whole countries) were recorded as NA as the latitude band of the sample collected could not be estimated. Tissues types are separated if they were analysed separately, for example different components of the blood (serum, plasma).

More information on the codes used in the spreadsheet are provided in the second tab in the spreadsheet - 'Codes for Master_spreadsheet.'

A full list of all papers included in the review are in the third tab - 'Full bibliography.'