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Search results for: HIGH ARCTIC
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Towards eddy-resolving models of the Arctic Ocean
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Selected mitochondrial genes as species markers of the Arctic Contracaecum osculatum complex
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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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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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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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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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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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Organic Pollution in Surface Waters from the Fuglebekken Basin in Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic
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Microbial community development on the surface of Hans and Werenskiold Glaciers (Svalbard, Arctic): a comparison
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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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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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Variability of sea ice deformation rates in the Arctic and their relationship with basin-scale wind forcing
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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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A Fuzzy Event Tree Model for Accident Scenario Analysis of Ship Stuck in Ice in Arctic Waters
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Microbiological Survey in Two Arctic Fjords: Total Bacterial Number and Biomass Comparison of Hornsund and Kongsfjorden
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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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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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Activation mechanism and activity of globupain, a thermostable C11 protease from the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge hydrothermal system
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Short-Term Observations of Rainfall Chemistry Composition in Bellsund (SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard)
PublicationGlobal warming results in increasingly widespread wildfires, mostly in Siberia, but also in North America and Europe, which are responsible for the uncontrollable emission of pollutants, also to the High Arctic region. This study examines 11 samples of rainfall collected in August in a coastal area of southern Bellsund (Svalbard, Norway). It covers detailed analysis of major ions (i.e., Cl−, NO3−, and SO42−) and elements (i.e.,...
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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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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...