Poor water purification in Antarctica
The waste water from research stations in Antarctica is released straight out into the sensitive outdoor environment. More than half of the 71 research stations surveyed have no form of water treatment system. This is shown in a survey carried out by environmental researcher Fredrik Gröndahl at Industrial Ecology at KTH.
In a questionnaire sent to research teams in Antarctica, Fredrik Gröndahl has surveyed how the polar area’s research stations manage their waste water. Results showed that 40 percent of the permanent research stations and 70 percent of the field stations do nothing to treat their waste water.
Water that the research bases use in kitchens, toilets and showers is released directly out into the sea or onto the ice.
“This is a remarkable result. Antarctica was the last area of untouched natural environment and it has a sensitive ecosystem. There are extremely strict restrictions on tourists and other visitors to the continent. In certain areas they have to undergo a disinfection process in order not to risk spreading any bacteria out into the natural environment,” says Fredrik Gröndahl.
With this in mind he feels that it is even more remarkable that some of the researchers who are actually studying Antarctica do not use any form of water treatment system for daily household waste water.
This lack of water purification may provide a threat to the animal and plant life of the polar area. Other studies that have recently been carried out show that the salmonella bacteria found in Antarctica have been spread there by people. And for the first time e-coli bacteria have been discovered in Antarctic animals – in seals.
“As the e-coli bacterium is an intestinal bacterium, the suspicion is fairly strong that they must come from human waste. This may spread stomach illnesses and, in a worst case scenario, mutate and cause deaths. Microbiologists are currently studying the effects of possible bacteria and virus spread in Antarctica in more detail,” states Fredrik Gröndahl.
“In addition to the biological emissions, there are chemical substances released as well from, for example, dishwashing detergent, hygiene products and pharmaceuticals that may also be in this waste water. It is difficult to protect nature from certain chemicals even if there is a well-developed purification system in place,” emphasises Fredrik.
Taken altogether this concerns a considerable volume of waste water released according Fredrik’s calculations. Parts of the continent, for example the Antarctic Peninsula, are relatively densely populated. The largest, permanent research stations house thousands of people who live there all year round.
Totally there are 85 research stations in Antarctica that are run by 28 different countries. Each nation that carries out research there undertakes to protect the surrounding environment and limit any emissions as far as is possible.
Fredrik Gröndahl hopes that these research stations will install well-functioning waste water treatment systems as soon as possible. In the framework of these stations’ total operations the cost of investment in a waste water treatment system is fairly small in his opinion.
“Antarctica is our very last untouched natural environment. The continent could be regarded as a sort of global national park that now risks destruction due to these deficiencies in waste water management.”
Fredrik Gröndahl’s survey has been published in the latest number of the scientific journal Polar Research and has been paid much attention in popular science magazines all over the world, including The Scientist Magazine in America.
Read the article in The Scientist
Christer Gummeson