(Table 1) Soil description of pits dug in coastal, inland and higland Antarctic Dry Valleys

In the past few years, it has become increasingly apparent that perchlorate (ClO4-) is present on all continents, except the polar regions where it had not yet been assessed, and that it may have a significant natural source. Here, we report on the discovery of perchlorate in soil and ice from several Antarctic Dry Valleys (ADVs) where concentrations reach up to 1100/µg/kg. In the driest ADV, perchlorate correlates with atmospherically deposited nitrate. Far from anthropogenic activity, ADV perchlorate provides unambiguous evidence that natural perchlorate is ubiquitous on Earth. The discovery has significant implications for the origin of perchlorate, its global biogeochemical interactions, and possible interactions with the polar ice sheets. The results support the hypotheses that perchlorate is produced globally and continuously in the Earth's atmosphere, that it typically accumulates in hyperarid areas, and that it does not build up in oceans or other wet environments most likely because of microbial reduction on a global scale.

近年间，学界愈发明确，除尚未开展系统性评估的极地地区外，全球各大陆均检出高氯酸盐（perchlorate, ClO4-），且其可能存在重要的天然来源。本研究报道了在数个南极干谷（Antarctic Dry Valleys, ADVs）的土壤与冰体中检出高氯酸盐的发现，其浓度最高可达1100 μg/kg。在最干旱的南极干谷中，高氯酸盐与大气沉积的硝酸盐呈现显著相关性。由于南极干谷远离人类活动，其中的高氯酸盐为天然高氯酸盐在全球广泛分布提供了确凿证据。这一发现对高氯酸盐的起源、全球生物地球化学交互过程，以及其与极地冰盖的潜在相互作用均具有重要意义。研究结果支持以下假说：高氯酸盐在地球大气中持续全球生成，通常在超干旱区域富集，而未在海洋或其他湿润环境中累积，这一现象极有可能源于全球范围内的微生物还原作用。