Abstract:

Although the Antarctic marginal sea is considered one of the cleanest oceans in the world, this region still faces the threat of increasing oil pollution. Researchers have conducted more investigations into oil pollution in the marine sediments of areas such as the Ross Sea and Prydz Bay than in the Cosmonauts Sea and the Amundsen Sea. This study analyzed seafloor surface sediment samples collected in the Cosmonauts Sea and the Amundsen Sea during the 39th Chinese Antarctic Expedition from November 2022 to May 2023. The total petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the oil pollution was evaluated using characteristic indicators. The total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration in seafloor surface sediments was 26.92~44.52 μg·kg^–1 in the Cosmonauts Sea and 5.32~36.19 μg·kg^–1 in the Amundsen Sea; while the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content was 5.22~13.03 ng·g^–1 in the Cosmonauts Sea and 2.67~16.50 ng·g^–1 in the Amundsen Sea. Although the pollutant content was very low, the analysis of oil pollution characteristic indicators showed that the sediments in both seas were affected by oil pollution. This study not only verified the threat of oil pollution to the Antarctic marginal sea, but also provides background data for further in-depth research on total petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments in relevant sea areas.

Key words:

petroleum hydrocarbons, marine pollution, sediments, Cosmonauts Sea, Amundsen Sea, Antarctica