Abstract
The scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopic (SEM–EDS) study of selected samples from an ice core collected from Central Dronning Maud Land (CDML), East Antarctica, revealed several microparticles. They are mainly siliceous and carbonaceous particles and have distinct variations in their shape and composition. The morphology and major element chemistry of the particles suggest their origin from either volcanic eruptions or continental dust. The EDS analysis revealed that the volcanic particles are enriched in silica (average SiO2 62%), compared to the continental dust particle (average SiO2 56%). We found that the tephra relating to Agung (1963) and Karkatau (1883) volcanic eruptions, as recorded, in the ice core harbored microbial cells (both coocoid and rods). The occurrence of organic and inorganic particles which bear relation to volcanic eruption and continental dust implies significant environmental changes in the recent past.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benzerara, K., Menguy, N., Guyot, F., Dominici, C., & Gillet, P. (2003). Nanobacteria-like calcite single crystals at the surface of the Tataouine meteorite. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 100, 7438–7442.
Bjorck, S., Sandgrepn, P., & Zale, R. (1991). Late Holocene tephro-chronology of the Northern Antarctic Peninsula. Quaternary Research, 36, 322–328.
Carpenter, E. J., Lin, S., & Capone, D. G. (2000). Bacterial activity in South Pole snow. Applied Environmental Microbiology, 66, 4514–4517.
Clausen, H. B., Hammer, C. U., Hvidberg, C. S., Dahl-Jensen, D., Steffensen, J. P., Kipfstuhl, J., & Legrand, M. (1997). A comparison of volcanic records over the past 4000 years from the Greenland Ice Core Project and dye 3 Greenland ice cores. Journal of Geophysical Research, 102, 26, 707–723.
Cole-Dai, J., Mosley-Thompson, E., Wight, S. P., & Thompson, L. G. (2000). A 4100-year record of explosive volcanism from an East Antarctica ice core. Journal of Geophysical Research, 105(D19), 24431–24441.
Davis, S. M., Mortensen, A. K., Baillie, M. G. L., Clausen, H. B., Gronvold, K., Hall, V. A., et al. (2004). Tracing volcanic events in the Greenland ice cores. Pages News, 12, 10–11.
de Angelis, M., Fehrenbach, L., Jehanno, C., & Maurette, M. (1985). Micrometer-sized volcanic glasses in polar ice and snows. Nature, 317, 52–54.
Deming, J. W., & Baross, J. A. (2000). Survival, dormancy, and nonculturable cells in extreme deep-sea environments. In R. R. Colwell, & D. J. Grimes (Eds.) Nonculturable microorganisms in the environment (pp. 147–197). Washington, DC: ASM.
Folk, R. L., & Lynch, F. L. (1997). The possible role of nano-bacteria (dwarf bacteria) in clay-mineral diagenesis and the importance of careful sample preparation in high-magnification SEM study. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 67, 583–589.
Folk, R. L., & Rasbury, E. T. (2002). Nanometre-scale spheroids on sands, Vulcano, Sicily: possible nannobacterial alteration. Terra Nova, 14, 469–475.
Fung, I., Meyn, S., Tegen, I., Doney, S. C., John, J., & Bishop, J. K. B. (2000). Iron supply and demand in the upper ocean. Global Biogeochemistry Cycles, 14, 281–296.
Griffin, D. W., Kellogg, C. A., Garrison, V. H., Lisle, J. T., Borden, T. C., & Shinn, E. A. (2003). Atmospheric microbiology in the northern Caribbean during African dust events. Aerobiology, 19, 143–157.
Heiken, G. (1972). Morphology and petrography of volcanic ashes. Geological Society of American Bulletin, 83, 1961–1988.
Laluraj, C. M., Balachandran, K. K., Sabu, P., & Saramma, U. P. (2006). Persistent volcanic signature observed around Barren Island, Andaman Sea, India. Marine Geophysical Researches, 27, 283–288.
Legrand, M., & Mayewski, P. A. (1997). Glaciochemistry of polar ice cores: A review. Reviews of Geophysics, 35, 219–243.
Maupetit, F., & Delmas, R. J. (1992). Chemical composition of falling snow at Dumont d’Urville, Antarctica. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 14, 31–42.
McConnell, J. R., Aristarain, A. J., Banta, J. R., Edwards, R. P., & Simoes, J. C. (2007). 20th Century doubling in dust archived in an Antarctic Peninsula ice core parallels climate change and desertification in South America. Proceedings of National Academic Science, 104(14), 5743–5748.
McKay, D. S., Gibson Jr., E. K., Thomas-Keprta, K. L., Vali, H., Romanek, C. S., Clemett, S. J., et al. (1996). Search for past life on mars: Possible relic biogenic activity in Martian meteorite ALH84001. Science, 273, 924–930.
Narcisi, B., Proposito, M., & Frezzotti, M. (2001). Ice record of a 13th century explosive volcanic eruption in northern Victoria Land, East Antarctica. Antarctic Science, 13, 174–181.
Narcisi, B., Petit, J. R., Delmonte, B., Basile-Doelsch, I., & Maggi, V. (2005). Characteristics and sources of tephra layers in the EPICA-Dome C ice record (East Antarctica): Implications for past atmospheric circulation and ice core stratigraphic correlations. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 239, 253–265.
Palais, J. M., Kirchner, S., & Delmas, R. J. (1990). Identification of some global volcanic horizons by major element analysis of fine ash in Antarctic ice. Annals of Glaciology, 14, 216–220.
Palais, J. M., Germani, M. S., & Zielinski, G. A. (1992). Inter-hemispheric transport of volcanic ash from a 1259 A.D. volcanic eruption to the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. Geophysical Research Letters, 19(8), 801–804.
Pattan, J. N., Pearce, N. J. G., Banakar, V. K., & Parthiban, G. (2002). Origin of ash in the Central Indian Ocean Basin and its implication for the volume estimate of the 74,000 year BP youngest Toba eruption. Current Science, 83(7), 889–893.
Petit, J. R., Jouzel, J., Raynaud, D., Barkov, N. I., Barnola, J. M., Basile, I., et al. (1999). Climate and atmospheric history of the past 420,000 years from the Vostok ice core, Antarctica. Nature, 399, 429–436.
Prospero, J. M., Savoie, D. L., Saltzman, E. S., & Larsen, R. (1991). Impact of oceanic sources of biogenic sulphur on sulphate aerosol concentrations at Mawson, Antarctica. Nature, 350, 221–223.
Robock, A. (2000). Volcanic eruption and climate. Review of Geophysics, 38, 191–219.
Rothchild, L. J., & Mancinelli, R. L. (2001). Life in extreme environments. Nature, 409, 1092–1101.
Saltzman, E. S. (1995). Ocean/atmosphere cycling of dimethylsulfide. In R. J. Delmas (Ed.) Ice-core studies of global biogeochemical cycle. NATO ASI Series. Series I, global environmental change (vol. 30, (pp. 65–89)). Berlin: Springer.
Silva, S. L., & Zielinski, G. A. (1998). Global influence of the AD 1600 eruption of Huaynaputina, Peru. Nature, 393, 455–458.
Thamban, M., Chaturvedi, A., Rajakumar, A., Naik, S. S., D’Souza, W., Sings, A., et al. (2006). Aerosol perturbation related to volcanic eruptions during the past few centuries as recorded in an ice core from the Central Dronning Maud land, Antarctica. Current Science, 91(9), 1200–1207.
Zielinski, G. A. (2000). Use of paleo-records in determining variability within the volcanism—climate system. Quaternary Science, Review, 19, 417–438.
Zielinski, G. A., Dibb, J. E., Yang, Q., Mayewski, P. A., Whitlow, S., Twickler, M. S., et al. (1997). Assessment of the record of the 1982 El Chichón eruption as preserved in Greenland snow. Journal of Geophysics Research, 102, 30 031–30 045.
Zielinski, G. A., Mayewski, P. A., Meeker, L. D., Whitlow, S., & Twickler, M. S. (1996). A 110,000-yr record of explosive volcanism from the GISP2 (Greenland) ice core. Quaternary Research, 45(2), 109–118.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Laluraj, C.M., Krishnan, K.P., Thamban, M. et al. Origin and characterisation of microparticles in an ice core from the Central Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. Environ Monit Assess 149, 377–383 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0212-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0212-y