Antarctic mercury rise from ice melt

Scientists have documented a sharp increase in mercury deposition on the Antarctic Peninsula, reporting a 160 % rise since the start of the industrial era—about twice the rate observed on other continental shelves. The surge is attributed to accelerated glacial retreat and surface erosion driven by climate‑related warming, which releases mercury previously locked in ice and snow. Subsequent analysis of sediment cores quantified accumulation at roughly 93 µg per square metre per year and indicated that mercury re‑emission from the ocean has also risen sharply. The findings highlight how melting polar ice can mobilise legacy contaminants, adding a new dimension to global pollution mitigation efforts.

The research also links the intensified melt to atmospheric rivers—moisture‑laden air corridors—that now account for up to 80 % of heat events in West Antarctica and the Peninsula, further accelerating ice loss and associated contaminant release.