Glaciers are important fresh-water reservoirs for our planet. Although they are often located at high elevations or in remote areas, glacial ecosystems are not pristine, as many pollutants can undergo long-range atmospheric transport and be deposited on glacier surface, where they can be stored for long periods of time, and then be released into the down-valley ecosystems. Understanding the dynamics of these pollutants in glaciers is therefore important for assessing their environmental fate. To this aim, it is important to study cryoconite holes, small ponds filled with water and with a layer of sediment, the cryoconite, at the bottom, which occur on the surface of most glaciers. Indeed, these environments are hotspots of biodiversity on glacier surface as they host metabolically active bacterial communities that include generalist taxa able to degrade pollutants. In this work, we aim to review the studies that have already investigated pollutant (e.g., chlorpyrifos and polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCBs)) degradation in cryoconite holes and other supraglacial environmental matrices. These studies have revealed that bacteria play a significant role in pollutant degradation in these habitats and can be positively selected in contaminated environments. We will also provide indication for future research in this field

Pittino, F., Ambrosini, R., Azzoni, R., Diolaiuti, G., Villa, S., Gandolfi, I., et al. (2018). Post-Depositional Biodegradation Processes of Pollutants on Glacier Surfaces. CONDENSED MATTER, 3(3), 1-10 [10.3390/condmat3030024].

Post-Depositional Biodegradation Processes of Pollutants on Glacier Surfaces

Pittino, F
Primo
;
Ambrosini, R;Villa, S;Gandolfi, I;Franzetti, A
Ultimo
2018

Abstract

Glaciers are important fresh-water reservoirs for our planet. Although they are often located at high elevations or in remote areas, glacial ecosystems are not pristine, as many pollutants can undergo long-range atmospheric transport and be deposited on glacier surface, where they can be stored for long periods of time, and then be released into the down-valley ecosystems. Understanding the dynamics of these pollutants in glaciers is therefore important for assessing their environmental fate. To this aim, it is important to study cryoconite holes, small ponds filled with water and with a layer of sediment, the cryoconite, at the bottom, which occur on the surface of most glaciers. Indeed, these environments are hotspots of biodiversity on glacier surface as they host metabolically active bacterial communities that include generalist taxa able to degrade pollutants. In this work, we aim to review the studies that have already investigated pollutant (e.g., chlorpyrifos and polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCBs)) degradation in cryoconite holes and other supraglacial environmental matrices. These studies have revealed that bacteria play a significant role in pollutant degradation in these habitats and can be positively selected in contaminated environments. We will also provide indication for future research in this field
Articolo in rivista - Review Essay
cryoconite; POPs; microbiology; long-range transport; cryosphere; contaminants; bacteria;
English
2018
3
3
1
10
24
open
Pittino, F., Ambrosini, R., Azzoni, R., Diolaiuti, G., Villa, S., Gandolfi, I., et al. (2018). Post-Depositional Biodegradation Processes of Pollutants on Glacier Surfaces. CONDENSED MATTER, 3(3), 1-10 [10.3390/condmat3030024].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/204461
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