Tag / Contaminación
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Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) levels in air and surface sea waters along the Antarctic Peninsula
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are widespread worldwide, even reaching polar regions. Among POPs, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and their metabolites have been reported scarcely in the Antarctic environment. Here we report the levels of p,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDE, and o,p′-DDE in air and water samples collected during austral summer 2009. The levels found ranged from 0.25 to 4.26 pg m−3 in the atmospheric samples while…
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Occurrence and diffusive air-seawater exchanges of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Fildes Bay, King George Island, Antarctica
We report the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in seawater and air, and the air-sea dynamics through diffusive exchange analysis in Fildes Bay, King George Island, Antarctica, between November 2019 and January 30, 2020. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) was the most abundant compound in both air and seawater with concentrations around 39 ± 2.1 pg m−3 and 3.2 ± 2.4 pg L−1 respectively. The most abundant PCB congener…
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The hotspots of entanglement for pinnipeds of the world
Pinnipeds represent one of the most vulnerable marine groups severely affected by entanglements. However, the lack of standardized data collection poses a challenge when comparing the impacts of fishing gear across various geographic regions. In this study, we employed Generalized Additive Models to predict entanglement incidents stemming from fishing-related activities for 13 pinniped species across…
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Plastic debris, persistent organic pollutants and their toxicity impacts in coastal areas in Central Chile
The chemical components of plastic wastes have made their disposal a major economic, social, and environmental problem worldwide. This study evaluated the acute toxicity and genotoxicity of marine plastic debris on the beaches of Concepción Bay, Central Chile, taken during three periods (spring, summer, and winter). An integrated approach was used, including chemical and toxicological data, using the Microtox®…
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Levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Antarctic atmosphere over time (1980 to 2021) and estimation of their atmospheric half-lives
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are synthetic compounds that were intentionally produced in large quantities and have been distributed in the global environment, originating a threat due to their persistence, bioaccumulative potential, and toxicity. POPs reach the Antarctic continent through long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT). In these areas, low temperatures play a significant role in the environmental fate…
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Role of Microbes in the degradation of organic semivolatile compounds in polar ecosystems: A review
The Arctic and the Antarctic Continent correspond to two eco-regions with extreme climatic conditions. These regions are exposed to the presence of contaminants resulting from human activity (local and global), which, in turn, represent a challenge for life forms in these environments. Anthropogenic pollution by semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in polar ecosystems has been documented since the…
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Occurrence, source estimation, and risk assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in coastal seawaters from the Quintero Industrial Complex (Valparaíso, Chile)
In the 1960s, the Quintero industrial complex was inaugurated in Chile. This began a history of dramatic anthropogenic impacts on the Chilean coast. Among the known, we could mention high atmospheric emissions of chemicals due to combustion processes and frequent oil spills. For this reason, we surveyed the concentrations of fifteen EPAPAHs in the surface coastal waters of…
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Monitoring persistent organic chemicals in Antarctica in support of global chemical policy: a horizon scan of priority actions and challenges
Global production and emission of chemicals exceeds societal capacities for assessment and monitoring. This situation calls for improved chemical regulatory policy frameworks and increased support for expedited decision making within existing frameworks. The polar regions of the Earth represent unique sentinel areas for the study of global chemical behaviour, and data arising from these areas…
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Continuous bioreactors enable high-level bioremediation of diesel-contaminated seawater at low and mesophilic temperatures using Antarctic bacterial consortia: Pollutant analysis and microbial community composition
In 2020, more than 21,000 tons of diesel oil were released accidently into the environment with most of it contaminating water bodies. There is an urgent need for sustainable technologies to clean up rivers and oceans to protect wildlife and human health. One solution is harnessing the power of bacterial consortia; however isolated microbes from different environments…
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Marine debris and associated organic pollutants in surface waters of Chiloé in the Northern Chilean Patagonia (42°–44°S)
We report the occurrence of plastics and associated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in surface waters from Northern Chilean Patagonia. A total of 200 particles were found during the conducted survey. The highest number of particles found was 0.6 item m−3. We found that 53 % of the collected particles corresponded to plastic, with an average of 0.19 ± 0.18 item m−3. Microplastics (68 %) were the dominant…
