Search results for: ARCTIC
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ARCTIC
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Arctic Science
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ARCTIC ANTHROPOLOGY
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Anthropopressure’s intensification with reference to Arctic ecosystems
PublicationThis paper concerns issue of long range atmospheric transport of pollutants to polar areas and intensification of their toxic effect on biota in the face of climate change. Arctic which was for years seen as a pristine and not affected by antropopressure region became a sink of xenobiotics. Atmospheric circulation facilitates transport of chemicals from Eurasia to Arctic. Influence of climate change on crucial balance of polar...
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Toward Prediction of Environmental Arctic Change
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Diversity and distribution of Tardigrada in Arctic cryoconite holes
PublicationDespite the fact that glaciers and ice sheets have been monitored for more than a century, knowledge on the glacial biota remains poor. Cryoconite holes are water-filled reservoirs on a glacier’s surface and one of the most extreme ecosystems for microinvertebrates. Tardigrada, also known as water bears, are a common inhabitant of cryoconite holes. In this paper we present novel data on the morphology, diversity, distribution and...
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Towards eddy-resolving models of the Arctic Ocean
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Abundance and biomass of bacteria in two Arctic glacial fjords
PublicationTotal numbers and biomass of bacterioplankton in water in two glacial fjords off west Spitsbergen have been studied. Samples were collected from different water depth layers - from the surface to 80-90 m. Total bacterial number (TBN), biomass and morphological structure were determined by the acridine orange direct count method. The highest values of TBN and biomass in the water column were found on stations situated adjacent...
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Arctic Review on Law and Politics
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ARCTIC ANTARCTIC AND ALPINE RESEARCH
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Climate Change Impacts on Environmental and Human Exposure to Mercury in the Arctic
PublicationThis paper reviews information from the literature and the EU ArcRisk project to assess whether climate change results in an increase or decrease in exposure to mercury (Hg) in the Arctic, and if this in turn will impact the risks related to its harmful effects. It presents the state-of-the art of knowledge on atmospheric mercury emissions from anthropogenic sources worldwide, the long-range transport to the Arctic, and it discusses...
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Svalbard reindeer as an indicator of ecosystem changes in the Arctic terrestrial ecosystem
PublicationOver the years, noticeable effort has been directed towards contaminant determination in multiple biotic samples collected from the inhabitants of the Arctic. Little consideration has been given to polar herbivores, however, especially those from the European parts of the Arctic. To provide a broader perspective, we aimed to decipher trace element concentration in hairs of the key species in the Arctic, namely the Svalbard reindeer...
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Granulometric characterization of Arctic driftwood sawdust from frame sawing process
PublicationArctic driftwood can be used as an alternative source of wood as construction timber and furniture material, especially in Iceland and Greenland. The use of Arctic driftwood can help in the fight against climate change, by developing land reforestation processes and reducing the volume harvested wood from forests and sustainability of harvesting processes. In this paper the results of an analysis of the effect of long-term residence...
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Characterization of Arctic Driftwood as Naturally Modified Material. Part 1: Machinability
PublicationArctic driftwood has reached the coast of Iceland for centuries. This material was used by the inhabitants of the island as a building material for houses, boats, churches and pasture fences. Nowadays, the driftwood is used in the furniture industry, for the finishing of internal and external walls of buildings and also by artists. The properties of driftwood differ to that of original resource due the long-term effects of exposure...
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A quantitative approach for risk assessment of a ship stuck in ice in Arctic waters
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Towards a probabilistic model for predicting ship besetting in ice in Arctic waters
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Selected mitochondrial genes as species markers of the Arctic Contracaecum osculatum complex
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Arctic Freshwater Environment Altered by the Accumulation of Commonly Determined and Potentially New POPs
PublicationChemical composition of Arctic freshwater ecosystems depends on several factors. They include characteristics of the surrounding landscape, its lithology, geomorphology, vegetation, and hydrological features, as well as accumulation of anthropogenic pollution. In the Arctic, the problem of environmental contamination is widespread. That is why research on lakes and river catch-ments in terms of their chemical composition has enjoyed...
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Arctic catchment as a sensitive indicator of the environmental changes: distribution and migration of metals (Svalbard)
PublicationArctic regions experience metal pollution, despite their remote location, and the distribution and migration of those metals determine their potential impact on the local environment. Here, a High-Arctic catchment (Revelva, Svalbard) located remotely from human-induced pollution sources is studied with respect to the distribution and migration of chosen trace elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Cs, Mo, Ni, Pb,...
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Organic Pollution in Surface Waters from the Fuglebekken Basin in Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic
PublicationThe Fuglebekken basin is situated in the southern part of the island of Spitsbergen (Norwegian Arctic), on the Hornsund fjord (Wedel Jarlsberg Land). Surface water was collected from 24 tributaries (B1-B24) and from the main stream water in the Fuglebekken basin (25) between 10 July 2009 and 30 July 2009. The present investigation reveals the results of the analysis of these samples for their PAH and PCB content. Twelve of 16 PAHs...
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Microbial community development on the surface of Hans and Werenskiold Glaciers (Svalbard, Arctic): a comparison
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Organic Pollution in Surface Waters from the Fuglebekken Basin in Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic
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Composition and distribution of meiofauna, including nematode genera, in two contrasting Arctic beaches.
PublicationPraca dotyczy porównania zbiorowiska meiofauny, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem nicieni, na dwóch różnych plażach Arktycznych. Badania prowadzono na Wyspie Niedzwiedziej należącej do archipelagu Svalbard.
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Release and Transport of Toxic, Mobile Organic Compounds (Formaldehyde and Phenols) on an Arctic Glacier
PublicationAs a result of current deglaciation, the chemical cycles of many compounds, including toxic formaldehyde and phenols, are changing. However, the processes by which these chemicals are released have yet to be studied in situ. Here, we quantify fluxes of HCHO and phenols in a glacial catchment within one summer season, obtaining a net release from the glacier of 0.106 · 106 g formaldehyde and 0.255 · 106 g phenols, which can be interpreted...
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Bacterial community succession in an Arctic lake–stream system (Brattegg Valley, SW Spitsbergen)
PublicationThe factors affecting prokaryotic and virus structure dynamics and bacterial commu-nity composition (BCC) in aquatic habitats along a ca. 1500 m of the Brattegg Valley lake–stream system (SW Spitsbergen) composed of three postglacial lakes created by Brattegg Glacier meltwater were examined. A high number of small-volume prokaryotic cells were found in the recently-formed, deep, upper,...
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Organic carbon fluxes of a glacier surface: a case study of Foxfonna, a small Arctic glacier
PublicationArctic glaciers are rapidly responding to global warming by releasing organic carbon (OC) to downstream ecosystems. The glacier surface is arguably the most biologically active and biodiverse glacial habitat and therefore the site of important OC transformation and storage, although rates and magnitudes are poorly constrained. In this paper, we present measurements of OC fluxes associated with atmospheric deposition, ice melt,...
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Variability of sea ice deformation rates in the Arctic and their relationship with basin-scale wind forcing
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Arctic as a reservoir for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls- water samples from Foxfonna glacier
PublicationPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls are groups of stable compounds, hard to biodegrade, potentially toxic. Their presence in Arctic environment may have a big impact on natural balance, fauna and flora. Although Arctic areas should be unpolluted, some amounts of pollutants are transferred from lower latitudes with sea currents and air masses. This paper presents the amounts of selected persistent organic...
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Microbiological Survey in Two Arctic Fjords: Total Bacterial Number and Biomass Comparison of Hornsund and Kongsfjorden
PublicationTwo microbiological parameters: total bacterial number (TBN) and biomass (BBM) were studied in two Arctic fjords: Hornsund and Kongsfjorden. Samples were collected from three sampling points in each fjord, from various water depth layers: from the surface to 75 m depth. Total bacterial number and biomass were examined using the DAPI staining and direct count method. The greater amount of bacteria, as well as highest bacterial biomass...
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Microbiological Survey in Two Arctic Fjords: Total Bacterial Number and Biomass Comparison of Hornsund and Kongsfjorden
PublicationTwo microbiological parameters: total bacterial number (TBN) and biomass (BBM) were studied in two Arctic fjords: Hornsund and Kongsfjorden. Samples were collected from three sampling points in each fjord, from various water depth layers: from the surface to 75 m depth. Total bacterial number and biomass were examined using the DAPI staining and direct count method. The greater amount of bacteria, as well as highest bacterial biomass...
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The use of selected analytical techniques for pollutants determination in the environmental samples collected from the Arctic regions
PublicationThe paper concern importance of the use of analytical techniques for pollutants determination in the Arctic based on the example of total organic carbon, phenolsandformaldehyde determinationandmeasurementofpHand electrical conductivity parameters in surfacewater samples collected fromthe Revelva catchment.
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A Fuzzy Event Tree Model for Accident Scenario Analysis of Ship Stuck in Ice in Arctic Waters
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Evidence of adaptation, niche separation and microevolution within the genus Polaromonas on Arctic and Antarctic glacial surfaces
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Microbiological Survey in Two Arctic Fjords: Total Bacterial Number and Biomass Comparison of Hornsund and Kongsfjorden
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The interaction between bacterial abundance and selected pollutants concentration levels in an arctic catchment (southwest Spitsbergen, Svalbard)
PublicationPersistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been a topic of interest in environmental sciences for > 60 years. POPs in the Arctic have been investigated since the 1970s, when first atmospheric measurements revealed the presence of these pollutants in the polar regions. Major contaminant transport routes to the Arctic include atmospheric and oceanic transport, as well as inflow from rivers and sea ice. The sources of pollutants, such...
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Comparison of bacterial production in the water column between two Arctic fjords, Hornsund and Kongsfjorden (West Spitsbergen)
PublicationBacterial production and the accompanying environmental factors were measured in the water columns of two Arctic fjords during the cruise in July and August 2013. Water samples were collected at six stations located in the central part of Hornsund and Kongsfjorden. In Hornsund, where average water temperatures were 1.25-fold lower than in Kongsfjorden, the bacterial production was twice as high (0.116 ± 0.102 vs 0.05 ± 0.03 mg...
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Elemental composition, environment of deposition of the Lower Carboniferous Emma Fiord Formation oil shale in Arctic Canada
PublicationThe sedimentary succession of 51-m consisting of a thin coal seam (1 m) and oil shale with a marlstone and carbonate-mudstone matrix of the Lower Carboniferous (Viséan) Emma Fiord Formation located on the Grinnell Peninsula, Devon Island, Arctic Canada was examined. The techniques used include reflected light microscopy, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for elemental concentration, and inductively coupled plasma...
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Heavy Metals in a High Arctic Fiord and Their Introduction with the Wastewater: A Case Study of Adventfjorden-Longyearbyen System, Svalbard
PublicationLongyearbyen is the largest settlement on Svalbard archipelago, with 2400 permanent residents and approximately 150,000 tourists visiting every year. The city annually releases approximately 285,000 m3 of untreated wastewater to the nearby Adventfjorden. To date, the environmental impact of this continuous input has been studied mainly regarding the sediments and benthic fauna in the fiord. Here, we present results from a study...
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A High-Arctic flow-through lake system hydrochemical changes: Revvatnet, southwestern Svalbard (years 2010–2018)
PublicationLake ecosystems are strongly coupled to features of their surrounding landscapes such as geomorphology, lithology, vegetation and hydrological characteristics. In the 2010–2018 summer seasons, we investigated an Arctic flow-through lake system Revvatnet, located in the vicinity of the coastal zone of Hornsund fjord in Svalbard, characterising its hydrological properties and the chemical composition of its waters. The lake system...
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Contamination of Arctic Lakes with Persistent Toxic PAH Substances in the NW Part of Wedel Jarlsberg Land (Bellsund, Svalbard)
PublicationThe expansion of glacier‐free areas in polar regions favours the appearance of lakes in the non‐glaciated parts of glacier basins. This paper presents the differentiation of organic compound concentrations in fifty‐four Arctic lakes collected in four locations (Logne Valley, in the vicinity of the Scott, Renard and Antonia glaciers). We cover meteorological measurements, chemical analysis of sixteen dioxin‐like compounds (Polycyclic...
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Relationship of ground-level aerosol concentration and atmospheric electric field at three observation sites in the Arctic, Antarctic and Europe
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Activation mechanism and activity of globupain, a thermostable C11 protease from the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge hydrothermal system
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Exposure of a small Arctic seabird, the little auk (Alle alle) breeding in Svalbard, to selected elements throughout the course of a year
PublicationThe Arctic marine ecosystem can be altered by processes of natural and anthropogenic origin. Spatio-temporal variation in species exposure to contamination is still poorly understood. Here, we studied elemental concentrations in the non-lethally collected samples from the most numerous seabird in European Arctic, the little auk (Alle alle) nesting in one breeding colony in Svalbard. This seabird spent the breeding season in the...
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Impacts on human health in the Arctic owing to climate-induced changes in contaminant cycling – The EU ArcRisk project policy outcome
PublicationResults of the EU ArcRisk project on human health impacts in the Arctic owing to climate-induced changes in contaminant cycling are summarized in the context of their policy application. The question on how will climate change affect the transport of selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury, both to and within the Arctic has been addressed, as well as the issue of human health impacts of these pollutants in the...
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Comparison of hydrochemistry and organic compound transport in two non-glaciated high Arctic catchments with a permafrost regime (Bellsund Fjord, Spitsbergen)
PublicationAn increase in air temperature related to climate change results in the retreat of glaciers, the degradation of permafrost, and the expansion of glacier-free areas in the polar regions. All these processes lead to changes in the Arctic landscape. They influence the hydrochemistry of streams and rivers fed by glaciers and thawing permafrost. In this study, we examine eighty two water samples from two non-glaciated catchments with...
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The microbial community, its biochemical potential, and the antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp. in Arctic lakes under natural and anthropogenic impact (West Spitsbergen)
PublicationThe sustainable management of small human communities in the Arctic is challenging. In this study, both a water supply system (Lake 1) under the natural impact of a bird-nesting area, and a wastewater receiver (Lake 2) were analysed in the vicinity of the Polish Polar Station on West Spitsbergen. Microbial community composition, abundance and activity were assessed in samples of the treated wastewater, lake water and sediments...
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The Arctic mutation alters helix length and type in the 11–28 β-amyloid peptide monomer—CD, NMR and MD studies in an SDS micelle
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Do morphometric parameters and geological conditions determine chemistry of glacier surface ice? Spatial distribution of contaminants present in the surface ice of Spitsbergen glaciers (European Arctic)
PublicationAbstract The chemism of the glaciers is strongly determined by long-distance transport of chemical substances, and their wet and dry deposition on the glacier surface. This paper concerns spatial distribution of metals, ions, and dissolved organic carbon, as well as the differentiation of physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity) determined in ice surface samples collected from four Arctic glaciers during the summer...
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Concentrations and loads of DOC, phenols and aldehydes in a proglacial arctic river in relation to hydro-meteorological conditions. A case study from the southern margin of the Bellsund Fjord – SW Spitsbergen
PublicationClimate warming accelerates the melting and thawing of cryosphere components. Therefore, it favours the release of contaminants stored in High-Arctic glaciers for many years. The rate of land-based glacier retreat is of particular importance for the hydrological regime of glacial rivers, but also for the chemical composition of their waters. In this study, we examined 84 surface water samples collected during a period of 42 days...
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JOURNAL OF OFFSHORE MECHANICS AND ARCTIC ENGINEERING-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME
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Toward a Method Evaluating Control Actions in STPA-Based Model of Ship-Ship Collision Avoidance Process
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A Study of the Roll Motion by Means of a Free Decay Test
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Novel single-stranded DNA-binding protein from psyvhrophilic bacterium Psychrobacter arcticus
PublicationTo study the biochemical properties of SSB from Psychrobacter arcticus (ParSSB), we have cloned the ssb genes obtained by PCR and have developed Escherichia coli overexpression systems. The gene consists of an open reading frame of 642 nucleotides encoding SSB protein of 213 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 22.8 kDa. The amino-acid sequence of ParSSB exhibits 49% identity and 57% similarity to Escherichia coli SSB....
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Characterization of single-stranded DNA-binding proteins from the psychrophilic bacteria Desulfotalea psychrophila, Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Psychrobacter arcticus, Psychrobacter cryohalolentis, Psychromonas ingrahamii, Psychroflexus torquis, and Photobacterium profundum
PublicationBackground: Single-stranded DNA-binding proteins (SSBs) play essential roles in DNA replication, recombination and repair in Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in SSBs, since they find numerous applications in diverse molecular biology and analytical methods. Results: We report the characterization of single-stranded DNA-binding proteins from the psychrophilic bacteria Desulfotalea...
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Environmental characteristics of a tundra river system in Svalbard. Part 2: Chemical stress factors
PublicationBacterial communities in the Arctic environment are subject to multiple stress factors, including contaminants, although typically their concentrations are small. The Arctic contamination research has focused on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) because they are bioaccumulative, resistant to degradation and toxic for all organisms. Pollutants have entered the Arctic predominantly by atmospheric and oceanic long-range transport,...
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Tereny polarne - interesującym obszarem do badań Cz. II - Analityka próbek abiotycznych w Arktyce
PublicationW pracy ujęto problematykę zanieczyszczeń obszarów polarnych. Zwrócono szczególną uwagę na trwałe związki organiczne obecne w rejonie Arktyki w elementach przyrody nieożywionej. TZO pochodzenia antropogenicznego mogą pojawiać się na terenach polarnych za sprawą transportu na duże odległości z obszarów Euroazji i Ameryki Północnej. Badania poziomów zanieczyszczeń obecnych w próbkach abiotycznych na obszarze Arktyki stanowią fundament...
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Determination of selected parameters/ analytes in surface water samples collected in the surroundings of the capital of Spitsbergen (Longyearbyen)
PublicationPolar regions are extremely sensitive to pollution such as harmful gases, particles or toxic substances which affect the Arctic climate and ecosystems. Spitsbergen, as well as all Arctic region, because of its geographically distant location and lack of industry sector, should be free of chemical pollution. Despite this, many pollutants could be found in the Polar environment, for example in freshwaters. Their occurrence is related...
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POLLUTANTS PRESENT IN DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE SVALBARD ARCHIPELAGO ENVIRONMENT
PublicationDuring last years an interest in the processes of transport and fate of pollutants to the polar regions located distantly from industrial centers, has significantly increased. The current analytical techniques enabling conducting studies prove that the Arctic regions (in the past considered as a pollution free area) have become an area of highly intensive anthropopresion. Svalbard archipelago stands out from the other polar regions...
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Analytical studies on the environmental state of the Svalbard archipelago - critical source of information about anthropogenic global impact
PublicationThe Svalbard archipelago differs from other polar regions due to its specific environmental conditions and geographic location which make the area gather pollution from long-range transport. Due to the recent development in analytical techniques it is possible to determine the concentration of pollutants at the level present there. This paper collates and discusses the information from the literature about: pollutants present in...
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Glaciers as an Important Element of the World Glacier Monitoring Implemented in Svalbard
PublicationGlaciers are not only contributors to the sea level rise but also important players in the circulation of pollutants. Over a billion people apply glacial waters for domestic purposes; hence, both the quality and quantity of this water should be monitored. In this chapter, we concentrate on the archipelago Svalbard in the Arctic, a typical target area for xenobiotics from long range atmospheric transport (LRAT), holding an important share...
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Elemental and water-insoluble organic carbon in Svalbard snow: a synthesis of observations during 2007–2018
PublicationLight-absorbing carbonaceous aerosols emitted by biomass or fossil fuel combustion can contribute to amplifying Arctic climate warming by lowering the albedo of snow. The Svalbard archipelago, being near to Europe and Russia, is particularly affected by these pollutants, and improved knowledge of their distribution in snow is needed to assess their impact. Here we present and synthesize new data obtained on Svalbard between 2007...
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Impact of Volcanic Eruptions on the Occurrence of PAHs Compounds in the Aquatic Ecosystem of the Southern Part of West Spitsbergen (Hornsund Fjord, Svalbard)
PublicationThe paper presents changes in concentration levels of dioxin-like compounds that can be observed over the course of four study seasons in water samples collected from the Arctic watershed of Svalbard. The conducted analysis involved anthropogenic and natural factors that may affect the concentration of PAHs in the study samples of water. An attempt is made to indicate the emission source of the compounds being deposited and to...
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Organochlorine pesticides and polichlorinated biphenyls concentrations in fresh snowfall or top layer of snow from Hornsund region, Svalbard, in the spring 2019
Open Research DataThe dataset contains concentration of organochlorine persistent organic pollutants in snow samples collected from top layer of snow, which corresponded to fresh snowfall in most cases (except DS location, where these are 20 cm top layer sampled weekly). All snow samples have been collected within one month during spring 2019, in the vicinity of the...
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Correlation between chemical composition and the presence of selected groups of bacteria in freshwater samples collected from Isfjorden and Billefjorde
PublicationThe average concentrations of pollutants in the arctic water, snow and the atmosphere are much lower than those observed in the temperate climate. Specific conditions occurring in the polar regions have apotential to accumulate the pollutants transported from other parts of the world. In this study, attempts were made to find a correlation between selected chemical components and the bacterial population. The analysis involved...
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Determination of selected chemical parameters in surface water samples collected from the Revelva catchment (Hornsund fjord, Svalbard)
PublicationSurface water samples (river and lake) were collected from the Revelva catchment every summer from 2010 to 2013. This study concerns importance of the use of some analytical techniques for pollutants and parameters deter- mination in Arctic environmental samples based on the example of total organic carbon, phenols, and formaldehyde determination and measurement of pH and electrical conductivity parameters. Significant...
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The occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the chosen area of Svalbard
PublicationIn the recent years, scientists have been paying more attention to the impact of compounds of anthropogenic origin on the environment. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are both groups of stable organic compounds, difficult to biodegrade, and potentially toxic. Because of their affinity to lipids, they can accumulate in fat tissue and exert influence on animal health. This paper present...
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Sea spray as a secondary source of chlorinated persistent organic pollutants? - Conclusions from a comparison of seven fresh snowfall events in 2019 and 2021
PublicationSecondary sources of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) gain in importance worldwide as primary sources decline. In this work, we aim to determine whether sea spray may be a secondary source of chlorinated POPs to the terrestrial Arctic, since a similar mechanism was proposed there only for the more water-soluble POPs. To this end, we have determined polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides concentrations in fresh...
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Water chemistry of tundra lakes in the periglacial zone of the Bellsund Fiord (Svalbard) in the summer of 2013
PublicationClimate changes observed in the Arctic (e.g. permafrost degradation, glacier retreat) may have significant influence on sensitive polar wetlands. The main objectives of this paper are defining chemical features of water within six small arctic lakes located in Bellsund (Svalbard) in the area of continuous permafrost occurrence. The unique environmental conditions of the study area offer an opportunity to observe phenomena influencing...
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Bartłomiej Luks dr
PeopleI'm a snow researcher, working in the Arctic for almost 20 years. I've started as a field assistant on a geological expedition to Bellsund (Spitsbergen), then did my masters on soil pollution in the vicinity of Polish Polar Station Hornsund and PhD on dynamics of snowpack in the SW Spitsbergen. Since 2013 I'm an Assistant Professor at the Department of Polar and Marine Research IG PAS in Warsaw. My main research interests are the...
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The role of atmospheric precipitation in introducing contaminants to the surface waters of the Fuglebekken catchment, Spitsbergen.
PublicationAlthough the Svalbard Archipelago is located at a high latitude, far from potential contaminant sources, it is not free from anthropogenic impact. Towards the Fuglebekken catchment, in the southern part of Spitsbergen, north of Hornsund fjord, contaminants can be transported from mainland pollution sources. In the precipitation and surface water collected in the catchment, the following elements were detected and quantified: Ag,...
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Phytoplankton communities of polar regions–Diversity depending on environmental conditions and chemical anthropopressure
PublicationThe polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) constitute up to 14% of the biosphere and offer some of the coldest and most arid Earth's environments. Nevertheless several oxygenic phototrophs including some higher plants, mosses, lichens, various algal groups and cyanobacteria, survive that harsh climate and create the base of the trophic relationships in fragile ecosystems of polar environments. Ecosystems in polar regions are characterized...
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Environmental characteristics of a tundra river system in Svalbard. Part 1: Bacterial abundance, community structure and nutrient levels
PublicationThe Arctic hosts a set of unique ecosystems, characterised by extreme environmental conditions and undergoing a rapid change resulting from the average temperature rising. We present a study on an aquatic ecosystem of the Revelva catchment (Spitsbergen), based on samples collected from the lake, river and their tributaries, in the summer of 2016. The landscape variety of the study site and the seasonal change in the hydrological...
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Evaluation of the use of reindeer droppings for monitoring essential and non-essential elements in the polar terrestrial environment
PublicationExcess or toxic metals, non-metals and metalloids can be eliminated from the organism by deposition in inert tissue (e.g. fur) or excretion with body secretions, urine and faeces. Droppings are one of the main routes for the elimination of multiple elements and they can be collected without direct contact with the animal. Contaminant concentration has been examined in non-lethally collected tissues of several species (especially...
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Cold-adapted bacterial lipolytic enzymes and their applications
PublicationLipolytic enzymes, esterases and lipases catalyze the hydrolysis and transesterification of fatty acid esters. This class of enzymes is the most important group of biocatalysts for biotechnological applications. From this perspective, coldactive lipolytic enzymes from cold adapted bacteria display attractive properties for some industrial purposes, including high catalytic activity at low temperatures and low thermostability. To...
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The Russian Federation in European Union Programmes
PublicationSince the early 1990s, the European Union has been supporting socio-economic transformations in the former Soviet Union states, including the Russian Federation. Initially, this assistance was provided in the framework of the TACIS Programme, offering long-term, non-repayable aid. In 1991–2006 Russia received EUR 2.7bn for the restructuring of the state enterprise sector, establishment of private companies, state administration...
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Polish Polar Research: Green-and-White Paper under the aegis of the Polish Polar Consortium (PPC)
PublicationPolar research is a colloquial term for cross-area, cross-domain and interdisciplinary research in the Arctic and Antarctic. Polar research is mainly the domain of natural sciences, but technical sciences and humanities also grow in importance. Being vulnerable to climate change, polar regions are commonly considered as a kind of litmus paper of changes in geosystems, hence the importance of research done there. It aims at a better...
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Measurement report: Spatial variations in ionic chemistry and water-stable isotopes in the snowpack on glaciers across Svalbard during the 2015–2016 snow accumulation season
PublicationThe Svalbard archipelago, located at the Arctic sea-ice edge between 74 and 81∘ N, is ∼60 % covered by glaciers. The region experiences rapid variations in atmospheric flow during the snow season (from late September to May) and can be affected by air advected from both lower and higher latitudes, which likely impact the chemical composition of snowfall. While long-term changes in Svalbard snow chemistry have been documented in...
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Design analysis of ORC micro-turbines making use of thermal energy of oceans
PublicationThe article presents the results of the analysis of energy conversion cycles making use of thermal energy of oceans. The objects of analysis were two cases of closed Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plants, which were: the cycle in which the vapour of the working medium was produced by warm oceanic water in the circum-equatorial zone, and the so-called “arctic” cycle in which this vapour was produced by non-frozen water in the circumpolar...
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HAPADS Highly Accurate and Autonomous Programmable Platform for Providing Air Pollution Data Services to Drivers and Public
ProjectsProject realized in Department of Microelectronic Systems according to NOR/POLNOR/HAPADS/0049/2019-00 agreement from 2020-10-20
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THE EFFECT OF NOTCH DEPTH ON CTOD VALUES IN FRACTURE TESTS OF STRUCTURAL STEEL ELEMENTS
PublicationIn elements of steel structures working at low temperatures, there is a risk of appearance of brittle fracture. This risk is reduced through the use of certified materials having guaranteed strength at a given temperature. A method which is most frequently used to determine brittle fracture toughness is the Charpy impact test, preformed for a given temperature. For offshore structures intended to work in the arctic climat e, the...
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Investigating the sustainability, utilisation, consumption and conservation of sea mammals – A systematic review
PublicationAlmost 80 % of the oceans, especially the Arctic and Subarctic are primarily inhabited by marine mammals. Marine species depend mostly on sea ice for food, raising their young ones and safeguarding themselves from predators. Consumption of marine mammals has always been recommended as healthy, but the truth is that it can be detrimental for human health because of sea water pollution from trash and chemicals. This systematic review...
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Snapshot of micro-animals and associated biotic and abiotic environmental variables on the edge of the south-west Greenland ice sheet
PublicationMicroinvertebrates play a role as top consumers on glaciers. In this study we tested what kind of cryoconite material the animals inhabit (mud vs granules) on the edge of the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) in the south-west. We also tested the links between the densities of micro-fauna in cryoconite material and selected biotic (algae, cyanobacteria, bacterial abundances) and abiotic (water depth, pH, ion content, radionuclides) factors....
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Effect of the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation on changes in climatic conditions and river flow in Poland
Publication: The purpose of this study is to find connections between the North Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation (NA THC), climate elements, such as cloud cover, precipitation, air temperature, sunshine duration, and relative humidity, and flow of rivers in Poland. The intensity of NA THC was characterized by the DG3L index, which was established to assess changes in the amount of heat transported by NA THC along with the transport of water...
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Zmiany temperatury wody powierzchniowej na morzach Arktyki Rosyjskiej i ich konsekwencje dla żeglugi na Północnej Drodze Morskiej
PublicationPraca omawia zmiany średniej miesięcznej temperatury wody powierzchniowej na morzach Arktyki Rosyjskiej w latach 1979-2016. Stwierdzono, że w badanym okresie następował powolny wzrost SST. Jednakże tylko na Morzu Barentsa był on istotny statystycznie we wszystkich miesiącach roku (poza marcem w SE części tego morza), a w zachodniej części Morza Czukockiego w okresie od czerwca do grudnia. W dalszym ciągu na wszystkich morzach,...
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Analysis of the impact of wastewater discharge on recipients: synergistic approach
PublicationThe dissertation presents the analysis of chemical and microbial composition of wastewater and examines the impact of wastewater discharge on the environment. Various case studies were analysed: from small settlements in a pristine European Arctic, to large municipal wastewater treatment plants in areas subjected to greater anthropogenic pressure. In order to comprehensively analyse the impact of wastewater discharge on the receiving...
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Sea, River, Lake Ice Properties and Their Applications in Practices
PublicationThis Special Issue aims to highlight research articles focusing on the geographical scale of glacier and lake ice variations, as well as the engineering scale of ice properties and their practical applications via laboratory tests and numerical modeling. Additionally, it includes research on ecosystems under lake ice. The main goal is successfully achieved through the joint efforts of authors, anonymous reviewers, and editorial...
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Bacterial Community Structures in Freshwater Polar Environments of Svalbard
PublicationTwo thirds of Svalbard archipelago islands in the High Arctic are permanently covered with glacial ice and snow. Polar bacterial communities in the southern part of Svalbard were characterized using an amplicon sequencing approach. A total of 52,928 pyrosequencing reads were analyzed in order to reveal bacterial community structures in stream and lake surface water samples from the Fuglebekken and Revvatnet...
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Ocean mixed layer dynamics: high-resolution simulations of wind, wave and convective effects
Open Research DataThis dataset contains results of high-resolution numerical simulations of the ocean mixed layer (OML) forced by wind, waves and cooling from the atmosphere, i.e., under strongly turbulent, convective conditions. The goal is to provide detailed, three-dimensional information about OML circulation, turbulent kinetic energy, and temperature and salinity...
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Local variability in snow concentrations of chlorinated persistent organic pollutants as a source of large uncertainty in interpreting spatial patterns at all scales
PublicationSingle point sampling, a widespread practice in snow studies in remote areas, due to logistical constraints, can present an unquantified error to the final study results. The low concentrations of studied chemicals, such as chlorinated persistent organic pollutants, contribute to the uncertainty. We conducted a field experiment in the Arctic to estimate the error stemming from differences in the composition of snow at short distances...
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Investigation on the Sources and Impact of Trace Elements in the Annual Snowpack and the Firn in the Hansbreen (Southwest Spitsbergen)
PublicationWe present a thorough evaluation of the water soluble fraction of the trace element composition (Ca, Sr, Mg, Na, K, Li, B, Rb, U, Ni, Co, As, Cs, Cd, Mo, Se, Eu, Ba, V, Ge, Ga, Cr, Cr, P, Ti, Mn, Zr, Ce, Zn, Fe, Gd, Y, Pb, Bi, Yb, Al, Nb, Er, Nd, Dy, Sm, Ho, Th, La, Lu, Tm, Pr, Tb, Fe, In, Tl) and their fluxes in the annual snowpack and the firn of the Hansbreen (a tidewater glacier terminating in the Hornsund fjord, southwest...
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Chemical hazard in glacial melt? The glacial system as a secondary source of POPs (in the Northern Hemisphere). A systematic review
PublicationToxicity of compounds belonging to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) iswidely known, and their re-emission from glaciers has been conclusively demonstrated. However, the harmful effects associated with such secondary emissions have yet to be thoroughly understood, especially in the spatial and temporal context, as the existing literature has a clear sampling biaswith the best recognition of sites in the European Alps. In this...
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Influence of Material Thickness on the Ductile Fracture of Steel Plates for Shipbuilding
PublicationIn the shipbuilding industry, the risk of brittle fractures is relatively high because some units operate in arctic or subarcticzones and use high thickness (up to 100 mm) steel plates in their structures. This risk is limited by employing certifiedmaterials with a specific impact strength, determined using the Charpy method (for a given design temperature) and byexercising control over the welding processes (technology qualification,...
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Hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of pollutants as a factor influencing their redistribution during snowpack melt
PublicationGlaciers accumulate organic pollutants delivered by snow. However, our understanding of the exact dynamics of organic pollutants in the snowpack relies primarily on laboratory experiments and mathematical models. To fill the gap related to the detailed field data, we have conducted observations of melting snow profiles in two locations and three different stages of melting on one High Arctic glacier, as well as in superimposed...
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A screening of select toxic and essential elements and persistent organic pollutants in the fur of Svalbard reindeer
PublicationReindeers play an important role in the polar ecosystem, being long-lived sole vegetarians feeding on local vegetation. They can be used as a valuable bioindicator, helping us to understand contaminants’ impact on the polar terrestrial ecosystem. Still, scarce data exist from research in which polar herbivores (especially those from the European parts of the Arctic) were a major study subject for trace elements and persistent organic...
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Trace elements content of surface peat deposits in the Solovetsky Islands (White Sea)
PublicationPeatlands form environmental archives of trace element deposition. In this regard they are particularly valuable for areas such as the Arctic, where regular pollution monitoring is either impossible or extremely costly. The aim of this study was to assess pollution in the Solovetsky Islands (65° 05' N, 35° 53' E) by examining the spatial variability in trace element content of the uppermost layer of peat, immediately below the...
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Underwater noise recorded in Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen, at the front of the Hans Glacier
Open Research DataThe data includes underwater noise recorded in Hornsund Fjord, Spitsbergen at the front of the Hans Glacier between 05/09/2013 and 30/09/2013. A description of the data is in the article
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Morphometric parameters of the Renardbreen as important factors determining the spatial distribution of chemical compounds on the glacier surface (Bellsund, Svalbard)
PublicationThis paper concern influence of the morphometric parameters (height, length and slope of the glacier) on the spatial distribution of the physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon) determined in the ice and snow samples collected from the surface of Renardbreen during summer season of 2012. Obtained results allow to assume also a significant changes in a spatial distribution of other chemical...
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Dynamics of changes in the concentration levels of organic pollutants in the proglacial waters of the Scott River (Spitsbergen, SW Svalbard)
PublicationThe study area covered the NW part of the Wedel Jarlsberg Land. The present study concerns participation of organic pollutants inflow from glacier and seaside plane of Calypsostranda to proglacial waters of the Scott River due to occurrence of precipitation. Concentration ranges for phenols and formaldehyde in water samples are respectively:
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Studies on the Presence and Spatial Distribution of Anthropogenic Pollution in the Glacial Basin of Scott Glacier in the Face of Climate Change (Fiord Bellsund, Spitsbergen)
PublicationThe study area covered the NW part of the Wedel Jarlsberg Land (SW part of the Svalbard Archipelago). The primary study object was the catchment of the Scott Glacier in the vicinity of the Research Station of of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin – Calypsobyen. The Scott River catchment (of glacial hydrological regime) has an area of approximately 10 km2, 40% of which is occupied by the valley Scott Glacier in the phase...
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Multidecadal (1960-2011) shoreline changes in Isbjornhamna (Hornsund, Svalbard)
PublicationAsection of a gravel−dominated coast in Isbjørnhamna (Hornsund, Svalbard) was analysed to calculate the rate of shoreline changes and explain processes controlling coastal zone development over last 50 years. Between 1960 and 2011, coastal landscape of Isbjørn− hamna experienced a significant shift from dominated by influence of tide−water glacier and protected by prolonged sea−ice conditions towards storm−affected and rapidly...