Carbon, nitrogen and hydrocarbons contents in soils and sediments after a diesel spill at Carlini Base, King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo)

A diesel spill occurring at Carlini Station (South Shetland Islands, West Antarctic Peninsula) in 2009 started the study of the fate of the hydrocarbons and their effect on the bacterial communities of the Potter Cove ecosystem. Soils and sediments were sampled across the 200-meter long diesel plume towards Potter Cove four and 15 months after the spill, austral summers 2009/2010 and 2010/2011. The hydrocarbon fraction spilt over frozen and snow-covered ground reached the sea and dispersed with the currents. Contrary, diesel that infiltrated unfrozen soil remained detectable for years, and was seeping with ground water. Structural changes of the bacterial communities as well as hydrocarbon, carbon and nitrogen contents were investigated in sediments in front of the station, two affected terrestrial sites, and a terrestrial non-contaminated reference site.