Chemical composition of natural waters at Broknes Peninsula, Larsemann Hills, Antarctica

The article contributes to the study of the content of major and trace elements in various types of natural waters of the Broknes Peninsula,Larsemann Hills,Antarctica collected in January–February 2014 and 2020 during the 7th and 12th Belarusian Antarctic Expeditions.Samples of old(13 samples)and newly fallen snow(5),lakes(23)and groundwater(8)were analyzed.The content of 25 major and trace elements was determined using ICP-MS method,main anions was determined by titrimetric and turbidimetric methods.Good similarity chemical composition of snow,groundwater and lake waters in spite of differences in the content of major ions and trace elements has been obtained.The influence of marine salts on natural waters are analyzed,and their accumulation in lake waters especially in the endorheic small and shallow lakes in spite of ultra-oligotrophic atmospheric precipitates are shown.The spatial heterogeneity of groundwater and temporal and spatial heterogeneity of lake waters have been demonstrated.The results are important for understanding the variabilities of major and trace elements content in snow,groundwater and lake waters,and their relationship,as well as for identifying trends in their change,taking into account anthropogenic loads in the region and climate change.

An assessment of the impacts of diesel power plants on air quality in Antarctica

This study assessed the effects of diesel generators on air quality in the Antarctic.These devices are the primary energy sources for Antarctic research stations and the main stationary sources of anthropogenic emissions in this region.Taking the Vecherny Oasis,Enderby Land,East Antarctica as an example,NOx,SO2 and PM10 emissions were estimated and surface concentrations of these same pollutants as well as the dry deposition of PM10 were calculated for various periods of exploration of the oasis,based on generator capacities.Estimated values were compared with air quality standards and background air concentrations.The areas associated with increased maximum hourly surface concentrations of SO2,NO2 and PM10 over the past 30 a were found to have been reduced by factors of 4355,916 and 1327,respectively.The region affected by increased maximum monthly PM10 deposition has been reduced by a factor of 7.Emissions,surface concentrations and dry depositions in the Vecherny Oasis were calculated for diesel generators in the same power range as used at Antarctic research stations.The most powerful diesel generator currently scheduled to be installed in this region was predicted to generate maximum hourly NO2 concentrations above 50μg m^- 3,which is 13 times greater than current levels.The area over which the PM10 deposition rate will exceed 10 mg m^- 2 month 1 will be increased by a factor of 40.The technique employed herein has been demonstrated to be applicable to the preliminary assessment of stationary sources of pollutant emissions in Antarctica,including retrospective assessments.

Air pollutants and greenhouse gases emission inventory for power plants in the Antarctic

Emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in Antarctica from power plants with diesel generators(the main sources of energy at Antarctic research stations and the main stationary sources of anthropogenic emissions in the Antarctic)were assessed.A bottom-up approach was used to compile an emission inventory for the Antarctic.This involved estimating emissions at various spatial levels by sequentially aggregating estimate emissions from point emission sources.This is the first time this approach has been proposed and used.Emissions of CO2,NOx,particulate matter(PM10),and CO in the modern period were estimated at the research station,geographic region,natural domain,biogeographic region,continent section,and whole continent scales.Yearly emissions are presented here,but the approach allows emissions at different averaging periods to be estimated.This means mean or maximum yearly,monthly,daily,or hourly emissions can be estimated.The estimates could be used to model pollutant transmission and dispersion,assess the impacts of pollutants,and develop emission forecasts for various scenarios.

Inventory of unintentional POPs emission from anthropogenic sources in Antarctica

In spite of remote location and very limited human activities,Antarctica is affected by persistent organic pollutants(POPs).POPs investigation in Antarctica has a comparatively long history,but there are still large knowledge gaps in assessment of their emission into environment.In the paper the results of the first inventory of unintentional POPs emission from anthropogenic sources in Antarctica for modern period and preliminary estimate for the late 1980s are presented.Assessment of dioxin/furans(PCDD/Fs)emission in different media,as well as polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs)and hexachlorobenzene(HCB)in air is based on methodology of emission factors and indicators of human activity.The following sources of POPs emission have been estimated:power generation and heating,waste incineration,mobile sources and open burning of waste(in the past).According to the data obtained,annual PCDD/Fs air emission for modern period comprises 60.74 mg toxic equivalent(TEQ),PCBs-5.09 mg TEQ,and HCB-457.6 mg.Additionally 2.5 mg TEQ of dioxin/furans is released to residues,so total PCDD/Fs emission is amounted 63.23 mg TEQ.Waste incineration makes the greatest contribution to POPs emission(96% of PCDD/Fs,98%of PCBs and 36% of HCB air emission).In late 1980s open burning of waste was the major source of POPs.Retrospective assessment shows that over a 30-year period air emissions of PCDD/Fs decreased about 13 times,PCBs-15 times and HCB-57 times,primarily due to the prohibition of open burning of waste in compliance with the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty requirements.