Australian scientists are helping to clear up the mess left behind after decades of research activity in Antarctica.  

A method to detect metals in the soil at an abandoned landfill site in Antarctica has been developed by Scott Stark at the Australian Government's Department of Environment and Water resources in Tasmania and colleagues.   Stark explained that the landfill at Thala Valley was used by Australian research scientists from the 1960s to the 1980s.  It contained discarded items such as machinery, batteries and pipes.  

Under the 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, countries are required to clean up sites polluted by human activity to prevent further damage, explained Stark.  As part of the Australian remediation project, around 1000 tons of contaminated soil from the site was excavated and placed in shipping containers to be transported to Australia.  A simple and rapid way to determine contamination levels and classify the soil for treatment and disposal was then needed, said Stark.  

Stark's team used a portable energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometer to detect metals such as copper, lead and zinc in the sampled soil.  The machine bombarded samples with x-rays, causing any metal atoms present to emit characteristic x-rays from which elements were identified and quantified.

Peter Outridge, an expert in polar science from the Geological Survey of Canada in Ottawa, explained that remediation of remotes sites is often problematic. Outridge said that Stark overcame 'extraordinary' challenges, including 'a lack of technical support and a less-than reliable power supply'.

Stark plans to use his method to help with the clean-up of a landfill site near another Australian research site in Antarctica.  'There are many other contaminated sites in Antarctica and other remote regions that require remediation, and our experience may guide other analysts,' said Stark. 

Nina Notman