Collaborative Research: Deposition of HFC Degradation Product Trifluoroacetate in Antarctic Snow and Ice

该奖项支持一项为期三年的项目，以获取南极雪中三氟乙酸（TFA）浓度的数据。三氟乙酸是作为环境友好型氯氟烃（CFC）替代品引入的卤化乙烷衍生物（HCFC、HFC）的高度持久性大气降解产物。然而，令人担忧的是，HCFC和HFC的广泛引入将导致TFA在水生生态系统中的积累。目前关于工业化前大气和地表水（包括南极冰）中TFA背景浓度的数据是不明确的，而人为TFA对这些背景浓度的影响也不清楚。冰芯记录可以提供背景和人为TFA沉积的替代记录。本研究的主要目的是利用南极的冰芯和雪坑，建立一个跨越~ 1000年的TFA沉积时间记录，但主要集中在过去20年。从工业化前到现在，南极和南极洲西部近地表冰雪中三氧化二砷的记录将是独一无二的，并将使人们更好地了解这种污染物在南极洲乃至可能在全球的起源、运输和命运。此外，了解自然和人为来源、区域和长期运动以及污染物的最终命运对于评估对南极生态系统的潜在影响至关重要。

0087731Miller This award supports a three year project to acquire data on the concentration of trifluoroacetate (TFA) in Antarctic snow. Trifluoroacetate is a highly persistent, atmospheric degradation product of the halogenated ethane derivatives (HCFC, HFC) that have been introduced as environmentally friendly chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) substitutes. However, there is concern that the widespread introduction of HCFC's and HFC's will lead to the accumulation of TFA in aquatic ecosystems. Current data on pre-industrial, background concentration of TFA in meteoric and surface waters, including Antarctic ice, are ambiguous and the impact of anthropogenic TFA on these background concentrations is unclear. Ice core records can provide proxy records of background and anthropogenic TFA deposition. The primary objective of this research is to use ice cores and snow pits at South Pole to develop a temporal record of TFA deposition spanning ~ 1000 years but focused on the past 20 years. The pre-industrial to present record of TFA in near surface snow and ice at South Pole and in West Antarctica will be unique and will lead to a much better understanding of the origin, transport and fate of this contaminant over Antarctica and possibly the globe. In addition, understanding the natural and anthropogenic sources, the regional and long-range movement, and the eventual fate of contaminants is critical to assessing potential impacts on Antarctic ecosystems.