Contaminants in the Arctic and the Antarctic
A comparison of sources, impacts, and remediation options
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9219895 |
|---|---|
| Authors | John S Poland (Queen's University), Martin J Riddle (Australian Antarctic Division), Barbara A Zeeb (Royal Military College of Canada) |
| Year | 2003 |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 369-383 |
| Publication date | 2003-10-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Polar Record (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0032-2474 • E-ISSN: 1475-3057 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0032247403002985 |
| OpenAlex | W2146418885 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
Contaminants, in freezing ground or elsewhere in the world, are of concern not simply because of their presence but because of their potential for detrimental effects on human health, the biota, or other valued aspects of the environment. Understanding these effects is central to any attempt to manage or remediate contaminated land. The polar regions are different from other parts of the world, and it would be naïve to assume that the mass of information developed in temperate regions can be applied without modification to the polar regions. Despite their obvious environmental similarities, there are important differences between the Arctic and Antarctic. The landmass of the Arctic is much warmer than that of the Antarctic and as a result has a much greater diversity and abundance of flora. Because of its proximity to industrial areas in the Northern Hemisphere, the Arctic also experiences a higher input of contaminants via long-range aerial transport. In addition, the Arctic, with its indigenous population and generally undisputed territorial claims, has long been the subject of resource utilisation, including harvesting of living resources, mineral extraction, and the construction of military infrastructure. The history of human activity in Antarctica is relatively brief, but in this time there has been a series of quite distinct phases, culminating in the Antarctic now holding a unique position in the world. Activities in the Antarctic are governed by the Antarctic Treaty, which contains provisions dealing with environmental matters. The differences between the polar regions and the rest of the world, and between the Arctic and the Antarctic, significantly affect scientific and engineering approaches to the remediation of contamination in polar regions. This paper compares and contrasts the Arctic and Antarctic with respect to geography, configuration, habitation, logistics, environmental guidelines, regulations, and remediation protocols. Chemical contamination is also discussed in terms of its origin and major concerns and interests, particularly with reference to current remediation activities and site-restoration methodology
Antarctic treaty · Arctic · Arctic ecology · Biodiversity · Biology · Biota · Environmental protection · Geography · Indigenous · Physical geography · Population · Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics · Ecology · Environmental Science · Indigenous Studies and Ecology · Microbial bioremediation and biosurfactants
Elimination of accumulated harm facilities in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation as a legal condition for ecologically oriented sustainable development
Aboriginal communities, traditional knowledge, and the environmental legacies of extractive development in Canada
Grain size of activated carbon, and untreated and modified granular clinoptilolite under freeze-thaw
Our footprint on Antarctica competes with nature for rare ice-free land
Persistent organic pollutants and porphyrin levels in excreta of penguin colonies from the Antarctic Peninsula area
Managing legacy waste in the presence of cultural heritage at Wilkes Station, East Antarctica
| Citations per year | 0.3 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2006 - 2026 (21) |
| Highly cited | No |