Research indicates DDT presence in the melting glaciers of Antarctic
27 May 2008
Traces of the banned pesticide DDT is polluting the environment of the Antarctic peninsula, according to a recent report published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal.
About 1 - 4 kgs of DDT are currently being released into coastal waters along the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet due to glacier ablation, the report stated.
This report would surprise many, considering Antarctica as one of the cleanest environment in the planet and DDT pesticide has been banned in the Northern Hemisphere since the 1970s. So how did the pesticide make its way to the ice mass.
The answer lies with the research team from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, who have been associated with the study of melting glaciers. According to the researchers, DDT has reached the coastal Antarctic seas from the melting glaciers, which have accumulated the pesticide through atmospheric transport over the years before the pesticide was banned.
The researchers also found traces of the pesticide in marine animals of the region, indicating its presence in the food chain. The pollutants made their way through the melting waters of the glaciers to reach the krills, one of the base of the Antarctic food chain. At the apex of the food chain, resident seabirds such as the Ade´lie penguins, rely heavily on krills for food as the Antarctic food web is relatively short. The study indicates that long-term exposure through 
continual exposure to DDT through their diet has affected the metabolism of the marine animals, making them susceptible to diseases.
Global warming has resulted in the increase in the winter temperature of the Antarctic region, causing the glaciers to melt. The study says, that the situation will only worsen if global warming should continue and intensify.
