The concentration of combustion engine particulates, the organic fraction of the particulates and the sources of the particulates identified by isotopic analysis from snow and ice samples near Scott Base

Engines and generators emit organic rich particulates due to incomplete fuel combustion that can be deposited over wide areas. These particulates contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) that have been shown to damage the health of fragile ecosystems.

The heat of combustion differs between engine types, which influences the suite of compounds emitted from the engines and their isotopic compositions. These variations may be a unique chemical and isotopic fingerprint that can be used to determine the spatial distribution and ultimate fate of combustion derived organic contaminants in the Antarctic environment. The concentration of combustion engine particulates from areas around Scott Base, the ice runway and Williams’s field was determined.