title: Tracking human footprints in Antarctica through passive sampling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in inland lakes.
abstract: Freely dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were monitored in seven inland lakes of Antarctica by a polyethylene (PE)-based passive sampling technique, with the objective of tracking human footprints. The measured concentrations of PAHs were in the range of 14-360 ng L(-1) with the highest values concentrated around the Russian Progress II Station, indicating the significance of human activities to the loading of PAHs in Antarctica. The concentrations of PAHs in the inland lakes were in the upper part of the PAHs levels in aquatic environments from remote and background regions across the globe. The composition profiles of PAHs indicated that PAHs in the inland lakes were derived mainly from local oil spills, which was corroborated by a large number of fuel spillage reports from ship and plane crash incidents in Antarctica during recent years. Clearly, local human activities, rather than long-range transport, are the dominant sources of PAH contamination to the inland lakes. Finally, the present study demonstrates the efficacy of PE-based passive samplers for investigating PAHs in the aquatic environment of Antarctica under complex field conditions.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Zhou
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Chen-Chou
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China. Electronic address: blj727722@163.com.
authors.forename: Lian-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
authors.forename: Feng-Chang
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Eddy Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000864:Antarctic Regions; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D060106:Lakes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry; D012426:Russia; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D020959:Polyethylene
keywords: Antarctica; Freely dissolved PAHs; Inland lake; Oil spillage; Passive sampling