The impact of freeze-thaw cycling on a ZVI and inert medium was assessed using duplicated Darcy boxes subjected to 42 freeze-thaw cycles. This dataset consists of particle sizing during the decommissioning process of the experiment. Two custom built Perspex Darcy boxes of bed dimensions: length 362 mm, width 60 mm and height 194 mm were filled with a mixture of 5 wt% Peerless iron (Peerless Metal Powders and Abrasive, cast iron aggregate 8-50 US sieve) and 95 wt% glass ballotini ground glass (Potters Industries Inc. 25-40 US sieve). This ratio of media was selected to ensure that most aqueous contaminant measurements were above the analytical limit of quantification (LOQ) for feed solutions at a realistic maximum Antarctic metal contaminant concentration at a realistic field water flow rate. All solutions were pumped into and out of the Darcy boxes using peristaltic pumps and acid washed Masterflex FDA vitron tubing. Dry media was weighed in 1 kg batches and homogenised by shaking and turning end over end in a ziplock bag for 1 minute. To ensure that the media was always saturated, known amounts of Milli-Q water followed by the homogenised media were added to each box in approximately 1 cm layers. 20 mm of space was left at the top of the boxes to allow for frost heave and other particle rearrangement processes. On completion of freeze-thaw cycling and solution flow (refer to Statham 2014), an additional series of assessments was conducted. The media from between the entry weir and the first sample port was removed in five approximately 400 g samples of increasing depth. This procedure was repeated between the last sample port and the exit weir. These samples were left to dry in a fume cabinet before duplicated particle sizing using a Endcotts minor sieve shaker.

Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 2179 See the link below for public details on this project. Taken from a progress report of the project written in 1998: 60 terrestrial sediments have been taken from Wilkes and Thala Valley tip, with control sites at Robinsons Ridge and Jacks Donga. 50 marine sediments have been taken from the bay offshore from Thala Valley tip. 116 fresh and marine waters have been taken from the fresh water stream flowing through the Thala Valley tip, the tip/sea interface, and the nearshore marine offshore from Thala Valley tip and control sites. Formal integration of these data into a GIS is underway. These data have not been archived until 2012, hence the only data available were sourced from publications arising from the project.

Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 1005 Metal and organic contaminants in marine invertebrates from Antarctica, field study of their concentrations, laboratory study of their toxicities. See the link below for public details on this project. Data from this project are now unrecoverable. Several publications arising from the work are attached to this metadata record, and are available to AAD staff only. Taken from the referenced publications: Bioaccumulation of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in the Antarctic gammaridean amphipod Paramoera walkeri was investigated at Casey station. The main goals were to provide information on accumulation strategies of the organisms tested and to verify toxicokinetic models as a predictive tool. The organisms accumulated metals upon exposure and it was possible to estimate significant model parameters of two compartment and hyperbolic models. These models were successfully verified in a second toxicokinetic study. However, the application of hyperbolic models appears to be more promising as a predictive tool for metals in amphipods compared to compartment models, which have failed to adequately predict metal accumulation in experiments with increasing external exposures in previous studies. The following kinetic bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for the theoretical equilibrium were determined: 150-630 (Cd), 1600-7000 (Pb), 1700-3800 (Cu) and 670-2400 (Zn). We find decreasing BCFs with increasing external metal dosing but similar results for treatments with and without natural UV radiation and for the combined effect of different exposure regimes (single versus multiple metal exposure) and/or the amphipod collective involved (Beall versus Denison Island). A tentative estimation showed the following sequence if sensitivity of P. walkeri to an increase of soluble metal exposure: 0.2-3.0 micrograms Cd per litre, 0.12-0.25 micrograms Pb per litre, 0.9-3.0 micrograms Cu per litre and 9-26 micrograms Zn per litre. Thus, the amphipod investigated proved to be more sensitive as biomonitor compared to gammarids from German coastal waters (with the exception of Cd) and to copepods from the Weddell Sea inferred from literature data. ####### This study provides information on LC50 toxicity tests and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the nearshore Antarctic gammarid, Paramoera walkeri. The 4 day LC50 values were 970 micrograms per litre for copper and 670 micrograms per litre for cadmium. Net uptake rates and bioconcentration factors of these elements were determined under laboratory conditions. After 12 days of exposure to 30 micrograms per litre, the net uptake rates were 5.2 and 0.78 micrograms per gram per day and the bioconcentration factors were 2080 and 311 for copper and cadmium respectively. The body concentrations of copper were significantly correlated with the concentrations of this element in the water. Accumulation of copper and cadmium continued for the entire exposure suggesting that heavy metals concentrations were not regulated to constant concentrations in the body. Using literature data about two compartments (water-animal) first-order kinetic models, a very good agreement was found between body concentrations observed after exposure and model predicted. Exposure of P. walkeri to mixtures of copper and cadmium showed that accumulation of these elements can be assessed by addition of results obtained from single exposure, with only a small degree of uncertainty. The study provides information on the sensitivity of one Antarctic species towards contaminants, and the results were compared with data of similar species from lower latitudes. An important finding is that sensitivity to toxic chemicals and toxicokinetic parameters in the species investigated are comparable with those of non-polar species. The characteristics of bioaccumulation demonstrate that P. walkeri is a circumpolar species with the potential to be a standard biological indicator for use in monitoring programmes of Antarctic nearshore ecosystems. the use of model prediction provide further support to utilise these organisms for biomonitoring. ####### Heavy-metal concentrations were determined in tissues of different species of benthic invertebrates collected in the Casey region where an old waste-disposal tip site is a source of contamination. the species studied included the bivalve Laternula elliptica, starfish Notasterias armata, heart urchins Abatus nimrodi and A. ingens and gammaridean amphipod Paramoera walkeri. The specimens were collected at both reference and contaminated locations where lead was the priority element and copper was the next most important in terms of increased concentrations. The strong association between a gradient of contamination and concentrations in all species tested indicated that they are reflecting well the environmental changes, and that they appear as appropriate biological indicators of heavy-metal contamination. Aspects of the biology of species with different functional roles in the marine ecosystem are discussed in relation to their suitability for wider use in Antarctic monitoring programmes. For example, in terms of heavy-metal bioaccumulation, the bivalve appears as the most sensitive species to detect contamination; the starfish provides information on the transfer of metals through the food web while the heart urchin and gammarid gave indications of the spatial and temporal patterns of the environmental contamination. The information gathered about processes of contaminant uptake and partitioning among different tissues and species could be used in later studies to investigate the behaviour and the source of contaminants.

These data relate to the Max Easton Honours project, carried out at Macquarie University in 2010, supervised by Simon George THE LONG-TERM DEGRADATION OF LUBRICANT OIL IN ANTARCTIC MARINE SEDIMENTS. A simulated marine spill has been carried out by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) over a five year period, in which Antarctic sea-bed sediments were doped with various petroleum products and left in a shallow marine environment to examine the extent and rate of natural degradation. Of these pollutants, unused Mobil lubricant oil (OW/40; Exxon Mobil) was analysed qualitatively and semi-quantitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) to determine the composition of the oil and the rates and modes of degradation. The Mobil Lubricant Oil was found to consist of three dominant compound classes; 1) a series of branched alkanes with chain lengths of C25-26 and C33-34, 2) a series of long chain alkylnaphthalenes (formula C26H40), and 3) a series of bulky alkanoate esters. Other minor compounds were also identified. The alkanoate esters were depleted most readily, to less than 20% their initial values after 65 weeks. Branched alkanes and long chain alkylnaphthalenes were both recalcitrant over time, present at ~10% of their initial value after 260 weeks. Both the branched alkanes and long chain alkylnaphthalenes exhibited near identical behaviour through the sediment profile over time, depleting at the surface and increasing at depths consistent with migration through the sediment profile. Branched alkanes were depleted most rapidly relative to all other compounds, perhaps owing to preferred the biodegradation of long alkyl chains. No clear interpretation of the dominant mode of degradation was able to be defined, although it is believed that a multitude of removal mechanisms participate in the removal of lubricant oils in Antarctic marine sediments. 1) Retention time - Minutes 2) Region - It is a retention time window, labelled A to G as colours 3) Peak area - Peak area is in arbitrary units.

Marine debris records from beaches on Heard and Macquarie Islands and floating debris spotted on voyages. Data were collected by observers surveying beaches either methodically or opportunistically, and by observers spotting debris as it floated past ships. The data were originally collated into a searchable database, but the application is no longer supported by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre. An extract of the data is attached to this metadata record. The extract is in Excel format, and each worksheet is a copy of a database table.

This is a scanned copy of the vertebrate biology report from Macquarie Island by David Slip. The report was split into two documents, and has been scanned as such. The topics covered in the report include: - Elephant seal census - Elephant seal tagging program - Resights of tagged seals - Electrophoretic studies - Blood chemistry - Time depth recorders and satellite telemetry deployment - Pup and weaner weights - Calculation of body fat - Anesthetics - Examination of diet through stomach lavaging - Leopard seals - Survey of marine debris

This dataset contains the results of experiments that measured the total hydrocarbon content (THC) in water accommodated fractions (WAF) of fuel in seawater. The three fuel types were: Special Antarctic Blend diesel (SAB), Marine Gas Oil diesel (MGO) and an intermediate grade (180) of marine bunker Fuel Oil (IFO). These tests were performed under conditions which conformed to protocols used in Project 3054 toxicity tests conducted on Antarctic and subantarctic marine invertebrates. These hydrocarbon data show measured concentrations of THC in WAFs over time. From these data exposure concentrations of THC can be derived for analysis of sensitivities of marine invertebrates exposed to these WAFs in bioassays of Antarctic and subantarctic marine invertebrates. The integrated exposure concentrations calculated from these data are held in datasets AAS_3054_THC_WAF_integ_ conc_ 09_10 and AAS_3054_THC_WAF_integ_ conc_10_11_12. Fuels were experimentally mixed by slow stir of fuel and seawater in temperature controlled cabinets at 0 degrees C and 5 degrees C to prepare a mixture of fuel hydrocarbons in filtered seawater (FSW). WAF was produced by adding fuel to seawater in 10 L glass bottles. Mixtures were stirred at slow speed with minimal vortex. The freshly decanted WAFs were sampled and an additional set of time series experiments sampled the THC in dilutions of decanted WAFs in open containers, to show the loss of hydrocarbons over time at 0 degrees C and 5 degrees C. WAF samples were extracted and THC in micrograms per litre was measured using gas-chromatograph flame ionising detection (GC_FID) analysis. The dataset consists of an Excel spreadsheet. The first worksheet 'Test description' gives details of test setup and conditions, and explanation of acronyms. The following worksheets show the THC in test samples, with a separate worksheet for each test. Two worksheets 'Raw data' show the data from GC_FID analysis.

This metadata record contains an Excel file containing total petroleum hydrocarbon data from analysis of marine sediments collected at Davis Station from December 2009 to March 2010. Refer to the Davis STP reports lodged under metadata record Davis_STP for the full Davis Sewage Treatment Project methods and result details. Davis STP - Total petroleum hydrocarbons Hydrocarbons were extracted from a 10g sub-sample of homogenised wet soil by tumbling overnight with a mixture of 10 mL of deionised water, 10 mL of dichlormethane (DCM), and 1 mL of DCM spiked with internal standards: 254 mg/L bromoeicosane; 55.2 mg/L 1,4 dichlorobenzene; 51.2 mg/L p-terphenyl; 52.2 mg/L tetracosane-d50; and 255 mg/L cyclo-octane. Samples were then centrifuged for 5 minutes at 1000 rpm, this was repeated a further 3 times to ensure complete separation of the organic and aqueous fractions. The DCM fraction was then extracted and placed into GC-vials. Extracts were analysed for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) by gas chromatography using flame ionisation detection (GC-FID; Agilent 6890N with a split/splitless injector) and an auto-sampler (Agilent 7683 ALS). Separation was achieved using an SGE BP1 column (25 m x 0.22 mm ID, 0.25 µm film thickness). 1 µL of extract was injected (5:1 pulsed split) at 310° C and 17.7 psi of helium carrier gas. After 1.3 minutes, the carrier gas pressure was adjusted to maintain constant flow at 3.0 mL/min for the duration of the oven program. The oven temperature program was started at 36 °C (held for 3 minutes) and increased to 320 °C at 18 °C/min. Detector temperature was 330 °C. TPH concentrations were determined using a calibration curve, generated from standard solutions of special Antarctic blend diesel (SAB), and standard diesel. TPH was measured using the ratio of the total detector response of all hydrocarbons to the internal standard peak response. List of compounds analysed - C8-C28 individual hydrocarbon components - Naphthalene - Biomarkers (phytanes) - Total signal and area, and resolved compounds from C8 to C40, over specific ranges (e.g. C9-C18, SAB) Reporting limit - 0.3 mg.kg-1 on a dry matter basis (DMB) for individual components - 2.5-160 mg.kg-1 on a dry matter basis (DMB) for various calculated ranges Analytical uncertainty - Analytical precision: (a) 3 samples extracted and analysed in triplicate, (b) 3 extracts analysed by GC-FID in duplicate; only 1 of each set greater than RL (160): (a) RSD = 2%, (b) RSD = 0.4% - Site heterogeneity: reproducibility (RSD) of mean data from site replicate samples (mostly duplicates) was 24% (mean, SD 20%, range 4-60%, n=8) - From the limited data on reproducibility summarised above, it can be concluded that site heterogeneity contributes most to the uncertainty of the TPH data for the site locations. Background of the Davis STP project Refer to the Davis STP reports lodged under metadata record Davis_STP.

Live O. orensanzi were found in the AAD's Marine Research Facility emerging from sediments during feeding on 3 July 2014. It is likely that live specimens were included in samples collected for another species, Antarctonemertes sp. from intertidal rocky areas at Beall Island near Casey station (66 30.4265 degree S, 110 45.851 degrees E), East Antarctica in January and February 2014. It is also possible that the O. orensanzi were collected from southeast Newcomb Bay, adjacent to Casey station on 2 and 3 of February 2012 (Figure 4), and survived in the Marine Research Facility's aquarium, but this is considered less likely. Experiments were conducted at the AAD's quarantine facility in Kingston, Tasmania, between 19 July and 2 September 2014. This metadata record contains the results from bioassays conducted to show the response of Antarctic Polychaetes Ophryotrocha orensanzi to contamination from combinations if IFO 180 fuel and the fuel dispersants Ardrox 6129, Slickgone LTSW and Slickgone NS. Test solutions were prepared following the methods of Singer et al. (2000) with modifications by Barron and Ka'aihue (2003) and others. Water accommodated fractions of fuel in water (WAF) were produced using a 1:25 (v/v) fuel to FSW ratio in accordance with studies by Payne et al. (2014) and Brown et al., (2016) to facilitate comparability of results. Chemically enhanced water accommodated fractions (CEWAF) were made following a lower 1:100 (v/v) fuel to FSW ratio. A 1:20 (v/v) dispersant to fuel ratio was used for all three dispersants, an application rate of 1:20 dispersant to fuel rate was used both because this is the standard default application rate used in the field and to increase comparability to previous studies. Dispersant only mixes were made according to CEWAF specifications, substituting FSW for fuel. Test mixes were prepared in dark temperature-controlled cabinets at 0 plus or minus 1 degree C. Mixes were made in two L or five L glass aspirator bottles using a magnetic stirrer. Mix preparation followed the pre-vortex method in which a 20 - 25 % vortex was achieved in 0 plus or minus 1 degree C FSW before addition of the test materials. Once added, fuel was allowed to cool for a further 10 minutes before subsequent addition of dispersants during CEWAF preparation. Mixes were stirred for a total of 42 h with an additional settling time of 6 h following the recommendations determined as part of the hydrocarbon chemistry component of this project (Kotzakoulakis, unpublished data). The mixture was subsequently serially diluted to achieve the desired concentrations. Test concentrations were 100%, 50%, 20% and 10% for WAF and 10%, 5%, 1% and 0.1% for CEWAF. Concentrations for dispersant only treatments mimicked CEWAF in order to be directly comparable. Test solutions were kept in sealed glass bottles with minimal headspace at 0 plus or minus 1 degree C for a maximum of 3 h before use. Test dilutions were remade each four day period to replenish hydrocarbons lost through evaporation and absorption to simulate a repeated pulse exposure to the contaminant. Ninety percent of the test solution volume was replaced for each beaker during each water change by gently tipping out the solution with minimal disturbance to the test organisms. Replacement solutions were chilled to the correct temperature and replenished immediately to avoid any temperature shock to test animals. Beakers were topped up with deionized water between water changes to maintain water quality and solution volume. Bioassays were conducted in cold temperature cabinets at 0 plus or minus 1 degree C and light regimes were set to 18 h light and 6 h dark to mimic Antarctic conditions used by Brown et al. (2017). Exposure vessels were 100 ml glass beakers containing 80 ml of test solution. Beakers were left open to allow for the evaporation of lighter fuel components. Each experiment consisted of four replicates per treatment concentration, with eight to 10 individuals per replicate (8 each for Slickgone NS, 10 each for Ardrox and LTSW). Experiments ran for 12 days with observations at 24 h, 48 h, 96 h, 7 d, 8 d, 10 d and 12 d. Mortality was assessed at each observation using a Leica MZ7.5 dissecting microscope. Mortality was determined by the absence of response to stimuli, specifically lack of movement in the maxillae or mandibles. No food was added during experiments to avoid inclusion of an additional exposure pathway. Aliquots of each test concentration were taken at the beginning and end of each experiment, as well as before and after each water change to analyse the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) content. Duplicate 25 ml samples were taken for each test dilution and immediately extracted with a mixture of Dichloromethane spiked with an internal standard of BrC20 (1-bromoeicosane) and cyclooctane. Extractions were analysed using Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionisation Detection (GC-FID) and Gas Chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The measured concentrations were integrated following the methods of Payne et al. (2014) to obtain a profile of hydrocarbon content over each 12 d test period.

Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 2946. Public Shallow nearshore marine habitats are rare in the Antarctic but human activities have led to their contamination. Preliminary studies suggest the characteristics of Antarctica nearshore sediments are different to elsewhere and that contaminant partitioning and absorption, and hence bioavailability, will also be very different. Predictive exposure-dose-response (effects) models need to be established to provide the theoretical basis for the development of sediment quality guidelines to guide remediation activities. Such a model will be possible through the development of an artificial 'living' sediment, which can be used to understand physical and chemical properties that control partitioning and absorption of contaminants. Taken from the 2009-2010 Progress Report: Project objectives: 1. Collate and review existing knowledge on sediment properties in nearshore marine sediments in Antarctica to determine their physical, chemical and microbiological properties and identify gaps in our knowledge of sediment characteristics 2. Construct a range of artificial sterile sediments taking into account characteristics of naturally occurring nearshore sediments in the Antarctic. Examine physical and chemical properties of these sediments and understand the properties that control partitioning of contaminants by manipulation of bulk sediment composition and measuring the adsorption isotherms of important metal contaminants (Cu, Cd, Pb, As, Sn, Sb) in these artificial sediments 3. Produce 'living' sediments by inoculation of sterile sediments with Antarctic bacteria and diatoms that will support natural microbial communities. Examine physical and chemical properties of these sediments and understand the properties that control the partitioning and absorption of contaminants by manipulation of the bulk sediment composition and spiking metal contaminants into these artificial sediments. Progress against objectives: Using published literature the approximate composition of Antarctic sediments was determined. Representative sediment phases were collected form a uncontaminated environment, the chemical composition measured and absorption capacities of Cd and Pb established. The download file contains several excel spreadsheets. Some information about them is provided below: My =ref is reference in thesis EN =is endnote reference Nearby station = is closest known reference point to where samples collected TOC = total organic carbon TOM = Total organic matter BPC =biogenic particulate carbon TN = total nitrogen TP = Total phosphorus BSi = biogenic silica Ci = initial aqueous phase concentration qe = solid phase equilibrium concentration