Publications Repository - Gdańsk University of Technology

In Antarctica,waste is generatedmainly during scientific research programmes and related logistics. In this study, the impact ofwastewater on the western shore of Admiralty Baywas investigated during austral summer in 2017 and 2019. A range of physicochemical parameters and the presence of selected trace metals, formaldehyde and different groups of surfactants were determined in wastewater coming from Arctowski Station and in nearby coastal waters. The presence of selected trace metals (e.g., Cr: 2.7–4.4 μg/L; Zn: 15.2–37.3 μg/L; and Ni: 0.9–23.3 μg/L) and the sums of cationic (0.3–1.5mg/L), anionic (3.1–1.7 mg/L), and non-ionic (0.6–2.4mg/L) surfactants in wastewater indicated the potential influence of anthropogenic factors on sea water. The determined surfactants are found in many hygiene products that end up in the waste water tank after human use and, if untreated, can be released into surface waters with discharge. In addition, the levels of some trace metals indicate that they cannot come only from natural sources, but are the result of human activity. The reported data show disturbances in the marine environment caused by non-treatedwastewater discharge, e.g. by comparing the obtained results from the values of the no observed effect concentrations (NOECs) on selected Antarctic bioindicators, and provide information for the implementation of proper wastewater treatment at any Antarctic station in the future.

Authors

• dr inż. Małgorzata Szopińska link open in new tab ,
• prof. dr hab. inż. Aneta Łuczkiewicz link open in new tab ,
• dr hab. Katarzyna Jankowska link open in new tab ,
• dr hab. inż. Sylwia Fudala-Książek link open in new tab ,
• Joanna Potapowicz link open in new tab ,
• dr inż. Agnieszka Kalinowska link open in new tab ,
• dr hab Robert Józef Bialik,
• dr Stanisław Chmiel,
• prof. dr hab. inż. Żaneta Polkowska link open in new tab