Bargagli R
University of Siena, Department of Environmental Sciences, Siena (Italy).
Sci Total Environ. 2008 Aug 1;400(1-3):212-26. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.06.062. Epub 2008 Sep 2.
Although the remote continent of Antarctica is perceived as the symbol of the last great wilderness, the human presence in the Southern Ocean and the continent began in the early 1900s for hunting, fishing and exploration, and many invasive plant and animal species have been deliberately introduced in several sub-Antarctic islands. Over the last 50 years, the development of research and tourism have locally affected terrestrial and marine coastal ecosystems through fuel combustion (for transportation and energy production), accidental oil spills, waste incineration and sewage. Although natural "barriers" such as oceanic and atmospheric circulation protect Antarctica from lower latitude water and air masses, available data on concentrations of metals, pesticides and other persistent pollutants in air, snow, mosses, lichens and marine organisms show that most persistent contaminants in the Antarctic environment are transported from other continents in the Southern Hemisphere. At present, levels of most contaminants in Antarctic organisms are lower than those in related species from other remote regions, except for the natural accumulation of Cd and Hg in several marine organisms and especially in albatrosses and petrels. The concentrations of organic pollutants in the eggs of an opportunistic top predator such as the south polar skua are close to those that may cause adverse health effects. Population growth and industrial development in several countries of the Southern Hemisphere are changing the global pattern of persistent anthropogenic contaminants and new classes of chemicals have already been detected in the Antarctic environment. Although the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty provides strict guidelines for the protection of the Antarctic environment and establishes obligations for all human activity in the continent and the Southern Ocean, global warming, population growth and industrial development in countries of the Southern Hemisphere will likely increase the impact of anthropogenic contaminants on Antarctic ecosystems.
尽管遥远的南极洲被视为最后一片伟大荒野的象征，但人类在南大洋和南极洲的活动始于20世纪初，目的是狩猎、捕鱼和探险，许多入侵动植物物种被有意引入了几个亚南极岛屿。在过去的50年里，研究和旅游业的发展通过燃料燃烧（用于运输和能源生产）、意外漏油、垃圾焚烧和污水排放，对陆地和海洋沿海生态系统造成了局部影响。尽管海洋和大气环流等自然“屏障”保护南极洲免受低纬度水体和空气团的影响，但有关空气、雪、苔藓、地衣和海洋生物中金属、农药和其他持久性污染物浓度的现有数据表明，南极环境中的大多数持久性污染物是从南半球的其他大陆传输过来的。目前，南极生物体内大多数污染物的含量低于其他偏远地区相关物种中的含量，但几种海洋生物，尤其是信天翁和海燕体内镉和汞的自然积累除外。机会主义顶级捕食者南极贼鸥卵中的有机污染物浓度接近可能对健康产生不利影响的浓度。南半球几个国家的人口增长和工业发展正在改变持久性人为污染物的全球格局，并且已经在南极环境中检测到了新的化学物质类别。尽管《南极条约环境保护议定书》为保护南极环境提供了严格的指导方针，并为在南极洲和南大洋的所有人类活动规定了义务，但全球变暖、南半球国家的人口增长和工业发展可能会增加人为污染物对南极生态系统的影响。
