THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND WESTERN ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET: CURRENT SOURCES OR SINKS FOR ATMOSPHERICALLY TRANSPORTED ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS?

关于持久性有机污染物大气输送和海-气交换的全球尺度研究很少，但在理解这些污染物的长距离大气输送和归宿方面取得了重要进展，在某些情况下可能对遥远的极地生态系统产生深远影响。即将到来的从瑞典哥德堡到南极洲麦克默多站的RV Oden邮轮(2007年10月至2008年1月)提供了一个真正独特的机会，来评估持久性有机卤素化合物的长距离大气传输，并确定大西洋和南极西部冰盖目前是这些污染物的源或汇。基本假设是，大西洋和南极西部冰盖是目前用于农业和工业的有机卤素化合物的汇，它们经历了长距离的大气运输，但是持久性有机污染物的来源，这些污染物目前被禁止或严格限制使用(例如，滴滴涕、多氯联苯)，这些污染物以前积累在海洋表面水和冰川中。这一假设将通过测量当前使用的有机卤素化合物和遗留下来的有机卤素化合物来检验。该项目将提供有关先前从大西洋表层水域和南极西部冰盖释放的环境污染物在全球范围内重新分配的宝贵信息。由于观察到该区域迅速变暖和冰川融化，后者可能特别相关。作为该项目的一部分，将收集关于大气气相和与气溶胶有关的当前使用的化学品的全球数据集，这对于校准远程大气传输模型将是非常宝贵的。最后，这次巡航将提供一个机会，对海洋上空与气溶胶有关的和半挥发的气态有机碳进行初步测量。该项目将促进美国和瑞典环境科学家之间的国际合作，他们将担任拟议研究的联合首席研究员。它还将有助于在美国发展研究生研究机构和以本科为主的女性学院之间的合作研究。最后，该项目将部分支持对一名女研究生的培训。

AbstractGlobal scale studies of the atmospheric transport and air-sea exchange of persistent organic pollutants are rare, but have led to important advances in our understanding of the long-range atmospheric transport and fate of these contaminants, which in some cases may have profound impacts on remote polar ecosystems. The upcoming cruise of the RV Oden from Goteborg, Sweden to McMurdo Station, Antarctica (Oct. 2007 to Jan. 2008) offers a truly unique opportunity to evaluate the long-range atmospheric transport of persistent organohalogen compounds and determine if the Atlantic Ocean and Western Antarctic Ice Sheet are currently sources or sinks for these contaminants. The underlying hypothesis is that the Atlantic Ocean and Western Antarctic Ice Sheet are sinks for current use agricultural and industrial organohalogen compounds that undergo long-range atmospheric transport, but are sources of persistent organic pollutants that are currently banned or severely restricted for use (e.g. DDT, PCBs) that previously accumulated in ocean surface waters and glacier ice. This hypothesis will be examined by measuring current use and legacy organohalogen compounds. This project will provide valuable information on the global redistribution of previously released environmental contaminants from surface waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet. The latter may be particularly relevant due to observations of rapid warming and glacier melting in the region. The global data set on atmospheric gas phase and aerosol-associated current use chemicals to be collected as part of this project will be invaluable for calibrating long range atmospheric transport models. Finally, this cruise will provide an opportunity to make preliminary measurements of aerosol-associated and semi-volatile gaseous organic carbon over the oceans. This project will facilitate the development of an international collaboration between environmental scientists in the U.S. and Sweden who will serve as co-principal investigators for the proposed research. It will also help develop collaborative research in the U.S. between a graduate research institution and a predominantly undergraduate college for women. Finally, this project will partially support training of a female graduate student.