Non-target screening of emerging contaminants in suspended particulate matter in Admiralty Bay, AntarcticPeninsula

Abstract

Polar regions are natural laboratories for studying the impact of climate and organic pollutants due to their sensitivity to climate change and their distance from major sources. In the Antarctic Peninsula, anthropogenic compounds come from atmospheric transport. In addition, most human activities in Antarctica, including tourism and scientific activities, occur in this region. Pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and persistent organic pollutants are distributed in different environmental compartments. Recently, there has been a growing interest in analyzing new organic synthetic compounds, especially contaminants of emerging concern. Thesesubstances are not fully regulated, raising concerns about their impact on Antarctica. In addition, new substances are continuously developed to replace banned or obsolete compounds, and an increasing number of these compounds reach the coastal regions. Thus, new methods are needed to achieve comprehensive environmental monitoring and holistic assessment. To address this, non-target and suspect screening methods uncover previously unknown substances. This approach complements environmental monitoring strategies on regulatedcontaminants and the environmental protection requirements of the Antarctic Treaty. Therefore, the proposal aims to identify non-target organic compounds occurring in suspended particulate matter from Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula, in collaboration with Dr. Marina G. Pintado-Herrera at the University of Cadiz, Spain. This will enhance the original PhD project (FAPESP 2020/15701-8) by applying state-of-the-art techniques to acquire new and rare data, providing valuable information in this field of study.