Marine contribution to the chemical composition of coastal and inland Antarctic snow

Biogenic and anthropogenic compounds such as n-alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, alkylbenzenes and phthalates were measured in "fresh" snow and surface snow taken at different altitudes from Mt. Melbourne (near the coast of Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica) and Rennick Glacier (inland zone) during the 1995/96, 1996/97 and 1998/99 Italian Antarctic expeditions. Among n-alkanes, C-16, C-24 and C-28 were identified in all samples as "markers" of Baia Terra Nova marine environment, evidencing the important contribution of marine aerosol to the chemical composition of snow even if collected in the inland zones of the continent. More interestingly, the enrichment ratios (Er) of organic compounds with respect to sodium ion concentration, confirmed that fine and hyperfine particles of the aerosol were rich in phthalates and non-volatile n-alkanes, trapped by natural surfactant matter, and were able to reach high altitudes and long distances from the coast according to the spray drop adsorption model (SDAM).