A Review of Atmospheric Aerosols in Antarctica: From Characterization to Data Processing
Jesús Anzano,
Elisa Abás,
César Marina-Montes,
Javier del Valle,
David Galán-Madruga,
Mariano Laguna,
Susana Cabredo,
Luis-Vicente Pérez-Arribas,
Jorge Cáceres,
Jamil Anwar
Affiliations
Jesús Anzano
Laser Laboratory, Chemistry & Environment Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Plaza S. Francisco s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Elisa Abás
Laser Laboratory, Chemistry & Environment Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Plaza S. Francisco s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
César Marina-Montes
Laser Laboratory, Chemistry & Environment Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zaragoza, Plaza S. Francisco s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Javier del Valle
Centro Universitario de la Defensa de Zaragoza-AGM, Carretera de Huesca s/n, 50090 Zaragoza, Spain
David Galán-Madruga
Área de Contaminación Atmosférica, Centro Nacional de Sanidad Ambiental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
Mariano Laguna
Instituto de Síntesis Química y Catálisis Homogénea, Universidad de Zaragoza-CSIC, Plaza S. Francisco s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Susana Cabredo
Department of Chemistry, University of La Rioja. C/Madre de Dios, 53, 26006 Logroño, Spain
Luis-Vicente Pérez-Arribas
Laser Chemistry Research Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza de Ciencias, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Jorge Cáceres
Laser Chemistry Research Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza de Ciencias, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Jamil Anwar
Department of Chemistry, University of Management and Technology, Lahore 54770, Pakistan
One of the major problems of the present era is air pollution, not only for its impact on climate change but also for the diseases provoked by this scourge. Among the most concerning air pollutants is particulate matter, since it can travel long distances and affect the entire globe. Antarctica is extremely sensitive to climate change and essential for regulating temperature and permitting life on Earth. Therefore, air quality studies in this region are extremely important. The aim of this review is to present the work conducted on the identification and detection of aerosols and particulate matter in the Antarctic region in the last 20 years. These studies revealed a large number of organic and inorganic species. Organochlorine pesticides or polychlorinated biphenyls represent almost 50% of the organic fraction detected in Antarctica. Furthermore, heavy metals such as Hg and Pb were also found in the region related to anthropogenic activities. To summarize, this work detailed different analytical techniques and data processing to help characterize Antarctic aerosols and their potential sources.
