Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T15:57:47.031Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Management and remediation of contaminated sites at Casey Station, Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Ian Snape ,
Martin J. Riddle ,
Jonathan S. Stark ,
Coleen M. Cole ,
Catherine K. King ,
Sabine Duquesne  and
Damian B. Gore
Ian Snape
Affiliation:
Human Impacts Research, Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
Martin J. Riddle
Affiliation:
Human Impacts Research, Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
Jonathan S. Stark
Affiliation:
Human Impacts Research, Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
Coleen M. Cole
Affiliation:
Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment, GPO Box 44A, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
Catherine K. King
Affiliation:
CSIRO Energy Technology, Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre, New Illawarra Road, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia
Sabine Duquesne
Affiliation:
National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
Damian B. Gore
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Geography, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty requires that past and present work sites be cleaned up unless removal would result in greater adverse environmental impact than leaving the contaminant in its existing location. In the early 1990s Australia began the documentation of contaminated sites associated with its research stations, which resulted in an extensive record of contamination at abandoned stations and waste-disposal sites. Currently the technical capability to remediate these sites does not exist because of environmental challenges that are unique to the cold regions. Investigations indicate that clean-up operations in the past have proceeded without adequate precautions and without effective monitoring. To address these problems, three research priorities have been identified to assist meeting international and national obligations to clean up these sites. They are: understanding contaminant mobilisation processes; development of ecological risk assessment for use in monitoring and setting priorities; and development of clean-up and remediation procedures. This study provides sufficient information to guide the completion of a clean-up at Casey Station and to indicate how other similar sites should be managed. The next stage is to develop the theory into an operational plan to include detailed protocols for clean-up, monitoring, site remediation, and management of the waste stream from site to final repository. To achieve this, the Australian Antarctic Division has established a contaminated sites taskforce to facilitate the transition from research and development of techniques to implementation of suitable clean-up options.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 37 , Issue 202 , July 2001 , pp. 199 - 214
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

References

Acero, J. M., Agraz, J. L., and Aguirre, C. A.. 1996. Environmental review of Argentine activities at Esperanza (Hope Bay), Antarctic Peninsula. Buenos Aires: Instituto Antártico Argentino (Publication 26).Google Scholar
Agraz, J. L., Sánchez, R. A., Rinaldi, C. A., and Acero, J. M.. 1998. Environmental review of Argentine activities at Marambio Station. (XXII ATCM/IP49).Google Scholar
ANZECC. 1992. Australian water quality guidelines for fresh and marine waters. Australian and New ZealandEnvironment and Conservation Council/National Health and Medical Research Council.Google Scholar
ANZECC/NH&MRC. 1992. Australian and New Zealand guidelines for the assessment and management of contaminated sites. Australian and New ZealandEnvironment and Conservation Council/National Health and Medical Research Council.Google Scholar
ANZECC and ARMCANZ. 2000. National water quality management strategy: Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine water quality. Volume 1. http://www.erin.gov.au/science/water/volume1.pdfGoogle Scholar
ATCPs. 1993. Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Polar Record 29 (170): 256–275; SCAR Bulletin 110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Babicka, N. A., Goldsworthy, P. M., and Snape, I.. 2000. Contaminants in the Antarctic environment IX: GIS as a tool to assist with the management of contaminated sites. In: Hughson, T., and Ruckstuhl, C. (editors). ISCORD 2000: Proceedings of the sixth international symposium on cold region development. Hobart: International Association of Cold Regions Development Studies: 130–134.Google Scholar
Batley, G. E., and Maher, W. A.. In press. The development and application of ANZECC sediment quality guidelines. Australasian Journal of Ecotoxicology.Google Scholar
Clarke, K. R. 1993. Non-parametric multivariate analysis of changes in community structure. Australian Journal of Ecology 18:117–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, K. R., and Green, R. H.. 1988. Statistical design and analysis for a biological effects study. Marine Ecology Progress Series 46: 213–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, K. R., and Warwick, R. M.. 1994. Change in marine communities: an approach to statistical analysis and interpretation. Plymouth: Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Natural Environment Research Council.Google Scholar
Cole, C. M., Snape, I., Gore, D. B., Revill, A. T., and Riddle, M. J.. 2000. Contaminants in the Antarctic environment III: chemical and physical processes that influence contaminants in cold regions. In: Hughson, T., and Ruckstuhl, C. (editors). ISCORD 2000: Proceedings of the sixth international symposium on cold region development. Hobart: International Association of Cold Regions Development Studies: 128–131.Google Scholar
COMNAP. 2000. Standard techniques for monitoring in Antarctica. Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, www.comnap.auGoogle Scholar
Deprez, P. P., Arens, M., and Locher, H.. 1994. Identification and preliminary assessment of contaminated sites in the Australian Antarctic Territory. 1. Casey Station. Kingston, Tasmania: Australian Antarctic Division.Google Scholar
Deprez, P. P., Arens, M., and Locher, H.. 1999. Identification and assessment of contaminated sites at Casey station, Wilkes Land, Antarctica. Polar Record 35 (195): 299–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duquesne, S., Riddle, M. J., Schulz, R., and Liess, M.. 2000. Effects of contaminants in the Antarctic environment: potential of the gammarid amphipod crustacean Paramorea walkerias a biological indicator for Antarctic ecosystems based on toxicity and bio-accumulation of copper and cadmium. Aquatic Toxicology 49: 131–143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Duquesne, S., and Riddle, M. J.. In press. Biological monitoring of heavy metal contamination in coastal waters in the vicinity of Casey Station, Windmill Islands, East Antarctica. Polar Biology.Google Scholar
Gasparon, M. 1998. Trace metals in water samples: minimising contamination during sampling and storage. Environmental Geology 36: 207–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gore, D. B., Revill, A. T., and Guille, D.. 1999. Petroleum hydrocarbons ten years after spillage at a helipad in Bunger Hills, East Antarctica. Antarctic Science 11: 428–430.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guille, D., Revill, A., and Bowman, J.. 1997. Long-term fate of petroleum contaminations at Casey station, Antarctica. Hobart: CSIRO Marine Research.Google Scholar
James, C. J., and Gibson, R.. 1980. The distribution of the polychaete Capitella capitata (Fabricius) in dock sediments. Estuarine and Coastal Marine Science 10: 671–683.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
King, C. K., and Riddle, M. J.. In press. Effects of metal contaminants on the embryonic and larval development of the common Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri (Meissner). Marine Ecology Progress Series.Google Scholar
Lenihan, H. S., and Oliver, J. S.. 1995. Anthropogenic and natural disturbances to marine benthic communities in Antarctica. Ecological Applications 5 (2): 311–326.Google Scholar
Morris, C. E., Cole, C. M., Snape, I., and Deprez, P. P.. 2000. Contaminants in the Antarctic environment VIII: problems of contaminated site clean-up and engineering solutions. In: Hughson, T., and Ruckstuhl, C. (editors). ISCORD 2000: Proceedings of the sixth international symposium on cold region development. Hobart: International Association of Cold Regions Development Studies.Google Scholar
Morrisey, D. J., Underwood, A. J., Stark, J. S., and Howitt, L.. 1994. Temporal variation in concentrations of heavy metals in marine sediments. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 38: 271–282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pickard, J. (editor). 1986. Antarctic oasis: terrestrial environments and history of the Vestfold Hills. Sydney: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Reed, S. C., and Sletten, R. S.. 1989. Waste management practices of the United States Antarctic Program. Hanover, NH: US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL Special report 89–3).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynolds, C. M., Bhunia, P., and Koenen, B.A.. 1997. Soil remediation demonstration project: biodegredation of heavy fuel oils. Hanover, NH: Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL special report 97–20).Google Scholar
Sheppard, D. S., Campbell, I. B., Claridge, G. G. C., and Deely, J. M.. 1994. Contamination of soils about Vanda Station, Antarctica. Lower Hutt, New Zealand: Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (Science report 94/20).Google Scholar
Sheppard, D. S., Claridge, G. G. C., and Campbell, I. B.. 2000. Metal contamination of soils at Scott Base, Antarctica. Applied Geochemistry 15: 513–530.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, L. R. I. 1986. Plant ecological studies in the fellfield ecosystem near Casey station, Australian Antarctic Territory, 1985–86. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin 72: 81–91.Google Scholar
Smith, S. D. A., and Simpson, R. D.. 1995. Effects of the ‘Nella Dan’ oil spill on the fauna of Durvillaea antarctica holdfasts. Marine Ecology Progress Series 121: 73–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snape, I., Cole, C. M., Gore, D. B., Riddle, M. J., and Yarnall, M.. 1998. A preliminary assessment of contaminants at the abandoned Wilkes Station, East Antarctica, with recommendations for establishing an environmental management strategy. Kingston, Tasmania: Australian Antarctic Division.Google Scholar
Snape, I., Ferguson, S. H., Franzmann, P. D., Morris, C.E., and Revill, A. T.. 2000. Contaminants in the Antarctic environment VIII: remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons. In: Hughson, T., and Ruckstuhl, C. (editors). ISCORD 2000: Proceedings of the sixth international symposium on cold region development. Hobart: International Association of Cold Regions Development Studies: 148–150.Google Scholar
Snape, I., Gore, D. B., Cole, C. M., and Riddle, M. J.. In press. Contaminant dispersal and mitigation at Casey Station: an example of how applied geoscience research can reduce environmental risks in Antarctica. Antarctic Earth Evolution and Process.Google Scholar
Snape, I., Morris, C. E., and Cole, C. M.. In press. The use of permeable reactive barriers to control contaminant dispersal during site clean-up or remediation in Antarctica. Cold Regions Science and Technology.Google Scholar
Stark, J. S. 1998. Heavy metal pollution and macrobenthic assemblages in soft-sediments in two Sydney estuaries, Australia. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 49: 533–540.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stark, J. S. 2000. The distribution and abundance of softsediment macrobenthos around Casey Station, East Antarctica. Polar Biology 23: 840–850.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stark, J. S. 2001. Human impacts in nearshore, marine softsediment assemblages at Casey Station, Antarctica. Unpublished PhD thesis. Armidale, NSW: University of New England.Google Scholar
Underwood, A. J., and Peterson, C. H.. 1988. Towards an ecological framework for investigating pollution. Marine Ecology Progress Series 129: 301–305.Google Scholar