Search

The study of the particle size distribution in the near-water aerosol, as well as suspended particulate matter (SPM) and organic compounds (OCs) in SPM in the surface waters of the South and Atlantic oceans showed that in the near-water atmosphere the minimum number of particles was found in the coastal regions of Antarctica due to the ice cover on the continent (for 0.3–1 μm particles, on average, 6182 particles/L). The maximum amount of aerosols (on average 28186, maximum 55389 particles/L) confined to coastal Europe is related to their influx from industrial areas and shipping. The latter led to a chaotic change in the concentrations of aerosols and OCs in surface waters (up to 70 μg/L, 214 μg/mg SPM for hydrocarbons in the English Channel). The fluxes from Patagonia and the African deserts lead to an increase of aerosols up to 33 824–34 893 particles/L, where they have the greatest effect, due to the mineral nature, on the SPM distribution in surface waters. The distribution of aerosols on the Africa–Antarctica section was mainly controlled by the frontal zones of surface waters; therefore, their content correlated with the speed of the wind blowing them out from the sea surface: r = 0.82. The La Plata River–Atlantic Ocean geochemical barrier affects the variability of the OCs and SPM concentrations in the surface water of the Montevideo area, where the SPM content varied from 0.23 to 1.3 mg/L, and HCs, from 7 to 48 μg/L (up to 37 μg/mg SPM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of studying the granulometric composition of aerosol in the suspended matter of the surface water layer, and organic compounds (hydrocarbons, lipids, suspended organic carbon, chlorophyll a) in surface water at the sublatitudinal section near the Antarctica coast obtained in 2019 (the 64th Russian Antarctic Expedition). Snow, soil, and moss in the region of Antarctic stations Molodezhnaya, Novolazarevskaya, and Bellingshausen were also investigated. The results were compared with earlier data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine environment supports vast habitats with prodigious biodiversity comprising the largest source of unique bioactive compounds biosynthesized by macro and microorganisms, including seaweeds and their associated fungi. In this context, the interest in studying and characterizing marine natural products has increased in the last years. Among these metabolites, lipids and their derivatives play an important role in the metabolism of marine organisms and are sources of substances with therapeutic properties and biotechnological purposes. In this research, it was investigated the lipid amount present in the algae species Ascoseira mirabilis, Adenocystis utricularis, Desmarestia anceps, Phaeurus antarcticus and in their associated endophytic fungi Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium echinulatum, Microascus croci and Penicillium purpurogenum, respectively. This study was achieved by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, using a standard methodology to analyze all of the components present in the eight organisms. Fatty acids (FAs) and sterols are among the lipids of the highest concentration in the studied algae and fungi. In general, phytol and fucosterol were the most abundant metabolites in all seaweed, while in endophytic fungi, the FAs (palmitic, linoleic, oleic and stearic acid) and ergosterol appeared in major concentrations. This work contributes to new chemical information on the underexploited biodiversity of macroalgae and endophytic fungi belonging to the Antarctic Peninsula and, furthermore, to increase the possibilities for the discovery of bioactive substances and apply it on biotechnological approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]