Anthropogenic Activities in Antarctica and Its Impact on Enviornment

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities such as tourism and scientific expeditions play a major role in pollution in the Antarctic region. Chemical and microbiological contaminations are the major sources of anthropogenic pollution in Antarctica and are reaching through the long-range newlineatmospheric transport (grasshopper effect), through migratory birds and human activity. The main sources of chemical contaminations are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Coliform and faecal coliform bacteria are a good indicator of water quality in terms of microbial contamination. Broknes and Grovnes peninsula of Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica were selected as sampling sites. A total of 60 samples, fifteen samples from five different lakes of Broknes peninsula and forty-five samples from fifteen different lakes of Grovnes peninsula were collected randomly in the month of Dec-Feb of 2014-2015. Triplicate samples of one liter each were collected from easily accessible inner areas of each lake. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used for the analysis of chemical pollutants. The findings of the present study indicate that Lakes of Broknes and Grovnes peninsula have been contaminated with traces of chemical and microbiological contaminants. The presence of these contaminants in trace level in the lake water samples is an alarming situation. For decreasing the risk of anthropogenic contaminants in Antarctica, We would require a more effective monitoring system at research stations which could control the releasing of these contaminants; otherwise, they can cause several diseases to native animal species. In future research, besides the persistent organic pollutants and microbiological estimation, newly emerging pollutants must be analysed. This study can make an important contribution to the monitoring of chemical and microbiological contaminants in the Antarctic region. newline