This metadata record contains the results from bioassays conducted to show the response of the common Antarctic amphipod, Paramoera walkeri to contamination from combinations of Special Antarctic Blend (SAB) diesel, Marine Gas Oil (MGO) and Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO 180), chemically dispersed with fuel dispersants Ardrox 6120 and Slickgone NS. Fuel only water accommodated fractions (WAF), chemically enhanced water accommodated fractions (CEWAF) and dispersant only treatments were prepared following the methods in Singer et al. (2000) with adaptations from Barron and Ka’aihue (2003). WAF was made using the ratio of 1: 25 (v/v), fuel to filtered seawater (FSW) following the methods of Brown et al. (in prep). Ratios for chemically dispersed treatments were 1: 100 (v/v), fuel to FSW and 1: 20 (v/v) dispersant to fuel. Dispersant only treatments were made using ratios for CEWAF, substituting the fuel component with FSW. Mixes were made in 5 L or 10 L glass aspirator bottles using a magnetic stirrer to achieve a vortex of 20-25% in the FSW before the addition of test media. The same mixing energy was used to prepare all WAFs for enhanced reproducibility and comparability of results (Barron and Ka’aihue, 2003). Mixes were stirred in darkness to prevent bacterial growth for 42 h with an additional settling time of 6 h at 0 plus or minus 1 oC. Extended stirring times were used following the recommendations determined as part of the hydrocarbon chemistry component of this project (Kotzakoulakis, unpublished data). A dilution series of four concentrations were made from the full strength aqueous phase of each mix using serial dilution. WAF test concentrations were 100%, 50%, 20% and 10% while CEWAF concentrations were 10%, 5%, 1% and 0.1%. These concentrations were chosen in order to quantify the mortality curve and allow statistical calculation of LC50 values. To facilitate comparisons of dispersant toxicity in the presence and absence of fuel, dispersant only test concentrations reflected those of CEWAF treatments. WAF was sealed in airtight glass bottles stored at 0 plus or minus 1 oC for a maximum of 3 h before use. Fresh test solutions were prepared every four days to ensure consistent water quality and replace hydrocarbons that adsorbed or evaporated into the atmosphere. Each test concentration was represented by five replicates with five FSW control beakers, with 10 P. walkeri individuals per replicate. Only healthy and active individuals were chosen with a size range of 7.9 plus or minus 0.7 mm for adults and 2.5 plus or minus 0.2 for juveniles measured from the base of the antennae to the widest part of the dorsal curve. Larger individuals and brooding females were not used to avoid unrelated deaths related to age or reproductive state (Sagar, 1980). Beakers were filled to 200 ml and were left open to allow the natural evaporation of lighter monoaromatic hydrocarbon components that would occur during a real spill. A small square of plankton mesh was placed in each jar to provide a substratum to reduce the stress of laboratory conditions and to help to stem cannibalism. Animals were not fed during experiments to avoid hydrocarbons adsorbed onto food pellets being ingested by the amphipods, thereby introducing an additional exposure pathway. Experiments ran for a total of 12 d exposure duration. Experiments were run in cold temperature-controlled cabinets maintained at a temperature of 0 plus or minus 1 oC, fluorescent lights in the cabinets were set to a light regime of 18 h light, 6 h darkness, following the methods in Brown et al. (2017) to reflect Antarctic summer environmental conditions. Lethal and sublethal observations were made at standard ecotoxicology test times of 24 h, 48 h, 96 h, 7 d, 10 d and 12 d, with an additional observation at 8 d coinciding with one of the 4-day water changes. The health status of each individual was classified on a scale of one to four; one showing no effect up to four being mortality. Mortality was determined by a lack of movement and response to stimuli, particularly in the gills. Dead animals were removed and preserved in 80% ethanol at each observation period. Missing amphipods that may have been cannibalised were included in mortality counts as they were likely to have been moribund or already dead when eaten. In order to simulate a repeated pulse pollutant, 90 to 100% of the test solution volume of each beaker was renewed with freshly made test concentrations every four days to replenish hydrocarbons lost through evaporation and adsorption and ensure consistent water quality. Beakers were topped up to 200 ml between water changes with deionised water to maintain water quality parameters. Duplicate 25 ml aliquots of test concentrations were taken at the beginning and end of each experiment in addition to pre and post water change samples. Samples were immediately extracted with 0.7 μm of dichloromethane spiked with an internal standard of BrC20 (1-bromoeicosane) and cyclooctane. Samples were analysed using Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionisation Detection (GC-FID) and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). To determine actual exposure concentrations, four day measured TPH values were used to create a continuous exposure and evaporation profile over the 12 d test period following the methods outlined in Payne et al. (2014) and Brown et al. (2017).

A number of toxicity tests have been conducted using the marine microgastropod, Skenella paludionoides, between the years 2006 and 2010. Tests have determined sensitivity of this species to the a range of common metals contaminants; cadmium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc. Test biota were collected from Casey and Davis, with tests conducted either at Antarctic station laboratories or in AAD Kingston laboratories (after transport of animals back to Australia). See the child records for access to the data.

This data set contains chemical parameters determined for marine sediment samples collected in the 2014-15 summer field season as part of the Thala Valley Long term Monitoring (TV-LTM) project. The aim of this project is to examine changes in the marine benthic ecosystem in the vicinity of Casey station following clean-up of the abandoned Thala Valley waste disposal ('tip') site in 2003-04. The chemical parameters are: (1) 1 M hydrochloric acid-extractable elements (mainly metals) by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectrometry) (2) water-extractable nutrients by FIA (flow injection analysis) (3) petroleum hydrocarbon fractions (TPH: total petroleum hydrocarbons) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) - polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) - by GC-FID, GC-ECD and GC-MS (gas chromatography - flame ionization detector / electron capture detector / mass spectrometry), respectively (4) Loss on Ignition at 550 degrees Celsius (LOI; as a proxy for Total Organic Matter) and Dry Matter Fraction (DMF) by gravimetric analysis. Data sets 1, 3 and 4 were obtained for composite samples prepared from the 0-5 cm section of 51 marine sediment cores collected by SCUBA divers from impacted (contaminated) and control (pristine) locations around Casey. Data set 2 was obtained for a subsample of the surface section (0-1 cm) of each of 74 marine sediment cores collected during the same sampling campaign. Sample locations: * Brown Bay (BB) - inner, mid and outer sites * Casey Wharf * McGrady Cove * O'Brien Bay (OB) - OB1, OB2, OB3 sites * Shannon Bay * Wilkes (adjacent to abandoned station) Analytical labs involved: * Wild Lab, AAD, Kingston, Tasmania (data sets 1 and 4; sample preparation for data set 2) * Analytical Services Tasmania (AST), New Town, Tasmania (data set 2) * Analytical Services Unit (ASU), Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (data set 3) Information concerning analytical data quality (method reporting limits, accuracy and precision), are included with each data set. Complete analytical method details are available in a separate summary document.

This dataset contains the Voyage Data from Voyage 2 2021-22 collected during RSV Nuyina’s maiden voyage to Antarctica. This purpose of this voyage was a combination of commissioning trials, ice trials and a resupply voyage. The voyage departed Hobart and visited Davis station, Casey station, and the Vanderford Glacier before returning to Hobart. Throughout the voyage, operations related to ice trials and commissioning the science systems were conducted. As the instruments were commissioned, the data produced was included in the Voyage Dataset. It should be noted that many of the instruments were uncalibrated and, therefore, data recorded from these instruments may be erroneous. Oceanographic instruments that recorded data continuously throughout RSV Nuyina voyages include the Eco fluorometer, LISST-200X particle size analyser, Phytoflash flurometer, SeaFET pH sensor, SBE38 thermometer, SBE45 thermosalinograph and the SBE63 oxygen sensor. Oceanographic and mapping instruments that recorded data intermittently throughout the voyage include the ADCP38, ADCP150, EK80 hull system, EK80 dropkeel system, hydrophones dropkeel system, MS70 fisheries sonar, multibeam EM712, multibeam EM122, TOPAS sub-bottom profiler and the sound velocity sensor drop keel system. Meteorological instruments that record data continuously throughout the voyage include the WMT700 ultrasonic anemometers, UVB radiometer, CGR3 pyrgeometer, CMP3 global solar radiometer, CUV5 broadband UV radiometer, PQS1 photosynthetically active radiometer, CL31 Ceilometer, HMP155 air temperature and humidity sensor, PWD22 present weather and visibility sensor, PTB330 digital barometer and the all sky imager. Deployable instruments that recorded data throughout the voyage include the XBT, RBR concerto CTD, sound velocity profiler, NUTTS instruments and CTD instruments. Operational and positioning instruments that recorded data continuously through the voyage include the gyro compass, IPMS alarm system and webcams. Operational and positioning instruments that recorded data intermittently throughout the voyage include the winches, USBL, hydrophones hull system, draught sensor, speedlog, echosounder 50 kHz, echosounder 200 kHz and seapath380 systems. A list of the instruments used on the voyage is available in the file, "instrument_coverage_202122020.pdf" at the top level of the dataset. To find information on the science systems themselves and the headers for the data please refer to "voyage_202122020_data_description.pdf".