Dataset: Geochemical concentrations of elements measured in eye lenses of three Gulf of Mexico fish species collected from 2021-2023

Fish collection locations and associated information are found in an accompanying dataset for this project: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/916418.

Fish eye lenses were embedded in epoxy and sectioned laterally to expose the midplane for analyses. Eye lens elemental analyses were conducted at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Transects were ablated from one side of the eye lens to the other. Standard reference materials included a National Institute of Standards and Technology glass standard (NIST-612) and a fish protein certified reference material (DORM-4). Sequential measurements of analytes are provided in sections following the onset of the laser traversing the distance across each eye lens for a given fish ID number. Scan speeds were 5 microns per second for Atlantic Croaker and Southern Flounder, and 7 microns per second for Red Drum.