Variations of trace elements in the hairs of wintering members of Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition during the stay in Antarctica

Abstract

The concentrations of trace elements, Hg, Au, Cu, Zn, Sb, As and Br, in the hairs collected from the members of the wintering parties of the 13th and 15th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition were determined by neutron activation analysis, and the variations of their concentrations during the stay in Antarctica were discussed. The results are as follows : 1) The contents of Hg, Au, Zn and As showed a decreasing trend during the stay in Antarctica. 2) The mercury content showed characteristic variation. Its average concentration and standard deviation decreased from 7.0 ppm to 4.2 ppm and from l.8 to 0.6 ppm respectively at the end of the stay in Antarctica. And its concentration increased again and scattered over a wide range after the return to Japan. 3) The concentration of mercury in the hair reflects both metabolic processes and external contamination. From the results obtained in this work, then, the contributions to the decrease of mercury during the stay in Antarctica were estimated to be 2 ppm for metabolic processes and 1 ppm for external contamination, respectively. 4) The hairs collected on board the icebreaker FUJI showed extremely high concentrations of antimony, indicating the environmental pollution on the icebreaker caused by fuel combustion.