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Hydrocarbons in the Antarctic marine environment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 May 2004

G.C. Cripps
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, U.K.
J. Priddle
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, U.K.

Abstract

The Antarctic marine ecosystem contains low concentrations of a range of hydrocarbons, overwhelmingly biogenic in origin. The low natural levels of hydrocarbons and the small amount of local human activity make the Antarctic marine ecosystem suitable as a yardstick against which future global pollution by hydrocarbons can be assessed. At present, contamination is very low and difficult to resolve against the background. Local pollution is restricted to a very few events. A systematic programme with a clear definition of the natural background is proposed to monitor both global and local pollution.

Type
Review
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 1991

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