Samples were collected from the East Antarctic margin, aboard the Australian Marine National Facility R/V Investigator from January 14th to March 5th 2017 (IN2017_V01; Armand et al., 2018). This marine geoscience expedition, named the “Sabrina Sea Floor Survey”, focused notably on studying the interactions of the Totten Glacier with the Southern Ocean through multiple glacial cycles. Ten litres seawater samples were collected using a CTD rosette equipped with Niskin® bottle and filtered through a 0.45µm Acropak® capsule filter directly into acid-cleaned 10 L polyethylene jerrycans. Samples were then acidified to pH 2 with 2 mL/L of distilled 6M HCl in a laminar flow hood. These samples were analysed for neodymium (Nd) isotopes, a tracer of ocean circulation. In the home laboratory (IMAS Trace-Metal Lab, UTAS, Hobart, Australia), seawater samples were pre-concentrated using pre-packed Nobias® PA1L (Hitachi Technologies, Japan) chelating resin cartridges following the method of Pérez-Tribouillier et al., (2019). Rare Earth Elements were separated using anion-exchange chromatography (Anderson et al., 2012) and cation-exchange chromatography (Struve et al., 2016). Finally, Nd isotopes were isolated using LN-Spec column chemistry (Pin and Zalduegui, 1997). Purified seawater sample Nd concentrations were checked prior to isotopic analysis using Sector Field Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) at the Central Science Laboratory (UTAS, Hobart, Australia). Nd isotope ratio measurements were then carried out at the Geochemistry Laboratory of the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences of Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, using a Thermo Finnigan Triton thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS). Data were reduced offline for outlier rejection and corrected using 146Nd/144Nd = 0.7219 for mass fractionation using the exponential law, and 144Sm/147Sm = 0.20667 for the Sm interference correction on mass 144. JNdi standard data produced for two load sizes using two amplifier configurations were identical: 143Nd/144Nd = 0.512110 ± 24 2sd (46 ppm 2rsd, n = 16) for 1 ng loads using 1013Ω amplifiers, vs. 143Nd/144Nd = 0.512112 ± 3 2sd (6 ppm 2rsd, n = 6) for 100 ng loads using 1011Ω amplifiers. The corrected 143Nd/144Nd were normalised to the JNdi standard with the published value of 0.512115 (Tanaka et al., 2000). Nd isotopic compositions are reported as eNd = [(143Nd/144Nd)sample / (143Nd/144Nd)CHUR - 1]x10,000 , where CHUR is the Chondritic Uniform Reservoir with 143Nd/144Nd)CHUR = 0.512638 (Jacobsen and Wasserburg, 1980). References - Anderson R. F., Fleisher M. Q., Robinson L. F., Edwards R. L., Hoff J. A., Moran S. B., van der Loeff M. R., Thomas A. L., Roy-Barman M. and Francois R. (2012) GEOTRACES intercalibration of 230Th, 232Th, 231Pa, and prospects for 10Be. Limnol. Oceanogr. Methods 10, 179–213. A - Armand L. K., O’Brien P. E., Armbrecht L., Baker H., Caburlotto A., Connell T., Cotterle D., Duffy M., Edwards S., Evangelinos D., Fazey J., Flint A., Forcardi A., Gifford S., Holder L., Hughes P., Lawler K.-A., Lieser J., Leventer A., Lewis M., Martin T., Morgan N., López-Quirós A., Malakoff K., Noble T., Opdyke B., Palmer R., Perera R., Pirotta V., Post A., Romeo R., Simmons J., Thost D., Tynan S. and Young A. (2018) Interactions of the Totten Glacier with the Southern Ocean through multiple glacial cycles (IN2017-V01): Post-survey report. ANU Res. Publ. - Jacobsen S. B. and Wasserburg G. J. (1980) Sm-Nd isotopic evolution of chondrites. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 50, 139–155. - Pérez-Tribouillier H., Noble T. L., Townsend A. T., Bowie A. R. and Chase Z. (2019) Pre-concentration of thorium and neodymium isotopes using Nobias chelating resin: Method development and application to chromatographic separation. Talanta, 1–10. - Pin C. and Zalduegui J. F. S. (1997) Sequential separation of light rare-earth elements , thorium and uranium by miniaturized extraction chromatography: Application to isotopic analyses of silicate rocks. Anal. Chim. Acta 339, 79–89. - Struve T., Van De Flierdt T., Robinson L. F., Bradtmiller L. I., Hines S. K., Adkins J. F., Lambelet M., Crocket K. C., Kreissig K., Coles B. and Auro M. E. (2016) Neodymium isotope analyses after combined extraction of actinide and lanthanide elements from seawater and deep-sea coral aragonite. Geochemistry, Geophys. Geosystems 17, 232–240. - Tanaka T., Togashi S., Kamioka H., Amakawa H., Kagami H., Hamamoto T., Yuhara M., Orihashi Y., Yoneda S., Shimizu H., Kunimaru T., Takahashi K., Yanagi T., Nakano T., Fujimaki H., Shinjo R., Asahara Y., Tanimizu M. and Dragusanu C. (2000) JNdi-1: A neodymium isotopic reference in consistency with LaJolla neodymium. Chem. Geol. 168, 279–281.

Samples were collected from the East Antarctic margin, aboard the Australian Marine National Facility R/V Investigator from January 14th to March 5th 2017 (IN2017_V01; Armand et al., 2018). This marine geoscience expedition, named the “Sabrina Sea Floor Survey”, focused notably on studying the interactions of the Totten Glacier with the Southern Ocean through multiple glacial cycles. Ten litres seawater samples were collected using a CTD rosette equipped with Niskin® bottle and filtered through a 0.45µm Millipore GWSC04510: Ground Water sampling capsule, directly into acid-cleaned 10 L polyethylene jerrycans. Samples were then acidified to pH 2 with 2 mL/L of distilled 6M HCl in a laminar flow hood. These samples were analysed for thorium isotopes (230Th and 232Th), a tracer of particle dynamics. The sample preparation was carried out in the clean lab of the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (UTAS, Hobart). Seawater samples were acidified with HF (final concentration 0.6 mM, Middag et al., 2015), spiked with 10 pg of 229Th (NIST 4328C, National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA) and left to equilibrate for at least 48h. Samples were preconcentrated using Nobias® PA1L (Hitachi Technologies, Japan) cartridges, following the procedure of Pérez-Tribouillier et al., (2019). The separation and purification of thorium isotopes were performed by anion-exchange chemistry (Anderson et al., 2012). Purified Th fractions were analysed using an Element II Sector Field Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (SF-ICP-MS, Thermo Fischer Scientific, Bremen, Germany) at the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) of the University of Tasmania. Sample introduction was achieved using an Aridius® II desolvating nebulizer (DSN, CETAC Technologies, USA). The capacitive guard electrode was activated to maximise signal sensitivity. Raw intensities of 230Th and 232Th were blank and mass bias corrected. Concentrations were calculated using the isotope dilution equation reported in Sargent et al., (2002). References - Anderson, R. F., Fleisher, M. Q., Robinson, L. F., Edwards, R. L., Hoff, J. A., Moran, S. B., … Francois, R. (2012). GEOTRACES intercalibration of 230Th, 232Th, 231Pa, and prospects for 10Be. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 10(4), 179–213. - Armand, L. K., O’Brien, P. E., Armbrecht, L., Baker, H., Caburlotto, A., Connell, T., … Young, A. (2018). Interactions of the Totten Glacier with the Southern Ocean through multiple glacial cycles (IN2017-V01): Post-survey report. ANU Research Publications - Middag, R., Séférian, R., Conway, T. M., John, S. G., Bruland, K. W., and de Baar, H. J. W. (2015). Intercomparison of dissolved trace elements at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station. Marine Chemistry, 177, 476–489. - Pérez-Tribouillier, H., Noble, T. L., Townsend, A. T., Bowie, A. R., and Chase, Z. (2019). Pre-concentration of thorium and neodymium isotopes using Nobias chelating resin: Method development and application to chromatographic separation. Talanta, 1–10. - Sargent, M., Harrington, C., and Harte, R. (2002). Guidelines for Achieving High Accuracy in Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry (IDMS). Guidelines for Achieving High Accuracy in Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry (IDMS). Royal Society of Chemistry.

Untreated, macerated wastewater effluent has been discharged to the sea at Davis Station since 2005, when the old wastewater treatment infrastructure was removed. This environmental assessment was instigated to guide the choice of the most suitable wastewater treatment facility at Davis. The assessment will support decisions that enable Australia to meet the standards set for the discharge of wastewaters in Antarctica in national legislation (Waste Management Regulations of the Antarctic Treaty Environmental Protection Act - ATEP) and to meet international commitments (the Madrid Protocol) and to meet Australia's aspirations to be a leader in Antarctic environmental protection. The overall objective was to provide environmental information in support of an operational infrastructure project to upgrade wastewater treatment at Davis. This information is required to ensure that the upgrade satisfies national legislation (ATEP/Waste Management Regulations), international commitments (the Madrid Protocol) and maintain the AAD's status as an international leader in environmental management. The specific objectives were to: 1. Wastewater properties: Determine the properties of discharged wastewater (contaminant levels, toxicity, microbiological hazards) as the basis for recommendations on the required level of treatment and provide further consideration of what might constitute adequate dilution and dispersal for discharge to the nearshore marine environment 2. Dispersal and dilution characteristics of marine environment: Assess the dispersing characteristics of the immediate nearshore marine environment in the vicinity of Davis Station to determine whether conditions at the existing site of effluent discharge are adequate to meet the ATEP requirement of initial dilution and rapid dispersal. 3. Environmental impacts: Describe the nature and extent of impacts to the marine environment associated with present wastewater discharge practices at Davis and determine whether wastewater discharge practices have adversely affected the local environment. 4. Evaluate treatment options: Evaluate the different levels of treatment required to mitigate and/or prevent various environmental impacts and reduce environmental risks.

Untreated, macerated wastewater effluent has been discharged to the sea at Davis Station since 2005, when the old wastewater treatment infrastructure was removed. This environmental assessment was instigated to guide the choice of the most suitable wastewater treatment facility at Davis. The assessment will support decisions that enable Australia to meet the standards set for the discharge of wastewaters in Antarctica in national legislation (Waste Management Regulations of the Antarctic Treaty Environmental Protection Act - ATEP) and to meet international commitments (the Madrid Protocol) and to meet Australia's aspirations to be a leader in Antarctic environmental protection. The overall objective was to provide environmental information in support of an operational infrastructure project to upgrade wastewater treatment at Davis. This information is required to ensure that the upgrade satisfies national legislation (ATEP/Waste Management Regulations), international commitments (the Madrid Protocol) and maintain the AAD's status as an international leader in environmental management. The specific objectives were to: 1. Wastewater properties: Determine the properties of discharged wastewater (contaminant levels, toxicity, microbiological hazards) as the basis for recommendations on the required level of treatment and provide further consideration of what might constitute adequate dilution and dispersal for discharge to the nearshore marine environment 2. Dispersal and dilution characteristics of marine environment: Assess the dispersing characteristics of the immediate nearshore marine environment in the vicinity of Davis Station to determine whether conditions at the existing site of effluent discharge are adequate to meet the ATEP requirement of initial dilution and rapid dispersal. 3. Environmental impacts: Describe the nature and extent of impacts to the marine environment associated with present wastewater discharge practices at Davis and determine whether wastewater discharge practices have adversely affected the local environment. 4. Evaluate treatment options: Evaluate the different levels of treatment required to mitigate and/or prevent various environmental impacts and reduce environmental risks.