The eData Data Reporting Format is a format for the standardisation of data on pollutant occurence in the environment. By converting this data to a single, consistent format, it makes it easier to validate, compare, analyse, and reuse, in line with the FAIR principles.
Why standardise?
These data are typically published as concentrations (in water) or mass ratios (in soil, sludge and biota). Fully interpreting these measurements requires considerable metadata, relating to the time, place, conditions, methodology, and context of sampling. However, no single standard exists for these metadata, and study authors and sampling teams tend to use a variety of inconsistent definitions, units, and schema depending on their scientific domain and the study’s individual needs.
This is not, in itself a problem. However, as environmental risk assessment becomes more data-based and larger scale, the need to use and re-use large quantities of data increases. When these datasets are consistent, validated, and interoperable, much time can be saved. When they are not, researchers much go through the tedious process of understanding, validating and remapping by hand; an often non-reproducible process. Thus a harmonised format - and associated validation and formatting functions - can represent a significant timesaver for anyone in such a position.
Why aquatic toxicology?
Starting with a field we know well allows us to test the effectiveness of the underlying philosophy and technology.
Why an R package?
Although an R package is not a conventional form for a data structure, as our extraction, analysis, workflow is heavily R-based it was a pragmatic choice. By using the existing package architecture, it was possible to integrate the format closely with downstream tools, and use existing package dependencies and versioning to keep them updated as the format changes. In future, we plan to extend the format to other forms.