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Environmental pollutants from the Scott and Shackleton expeditions during the ‘Heroic Age’ of Antarctic exploration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2004

Robert A. Blanchette
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, 495 Borlaug Hall, St Paul, MN 55108-6030, USA
Benjamin W. Held
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, 495 Borlaug Hall, St Paul, MN 55108-6030, USA
Joel A. Jurgens
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, 495 Borlaug Hall, St Paul, MN 55108-6030, USA
Jackie Aislabie
Affiliation:
Landcare Research, Private Bag 3127, Hamilton, New Zealand
Shona Duncan
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3015, New Zealand
Roberta L. Farrell
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3015, New Zealand

Abstract

Early explorers to Antarctica built wooden huts and brought huge quantities of supplies and equipment to support their geographical and scientific studies for several years. When the expeditions ended and relief ships arrived, a rapid exodus frequently allowed only essential items to be taken north. The huts and thousands of items were left behind. Fuel depots with unused containers of petroleum products, asbestos materials, and diverse chemicals were also left at the huts. This investigation found high concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in soils under and around the historic fuel depots, including anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, chrysene, fluorene, and pyrene, as well as benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, and fluoranthene, which are recognized carcinogens. Asbestos materials within the huts have been identified and extensive amounts of fragmented asbestos were found littering the ground around the Cape Evans hut. These materials are continually abraded and fragmented as tourists walk over them and the coarse scoria breaks and grinds down the materials. A chemical spill, within the Cape Evans hut, apparently from caustic substances from one of the scientific experiments, has caused an unusual deterioration and defibration on affected woods. Although these areas are important historic sites protected by international treaties, the hazardous waste materials left by the early explorers should be removed and remedial action taken to restore the site to as pristine a condition as possible. Recommendations are discussed for international efforts to study and clean up these areas, where the earliest environmental pollution in Antarctica was produced.

Type
Articles
Copyright
© 2004 Cambridge University Press

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