Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station
Human contamination of Antarctic environments is a sensitive issue and has been the focus of many research articles over the past 35 years. The majority of these studies have targeted waste materials and various hydrocarbons, with assessment of microbial contaminants being largely restricted to sewa...
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Cambridge University Press
1997
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Online Access: | http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514747/ https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205 |
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:514747 2023-05-15T13:49:33+02:00 Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station Upton, M. Pennington, T.H. Haston, W. Forbes, K.J. 1997-06 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514747/ https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205 unknown Cambridge University Press Upton, M.; Pennington, T.H.; Haston, W.; Forbes, K.J. 1997 Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station. Antarctic Science, 9 (2). 156-161. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 1997 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205 2023-02-04T19:43:40Z Human contamination of Antarctic environments is a sensitive issue and has been the focus of many research articles over the past 35 years. The majority of these studies have targeted waste materials and various hydrocarbons, with assessment of microbial contaminants being largely restricted to sewage outfalls. The present study aimed to detect bacteria of human origin in the area surrounding Halley research station. It was apparent from both molecular and culture methods that bacteria of human origin are extremely difficult to detect outside the immediate surrounding of the buildings, though recommendations are made for increasing the probability of determining the presence of organisms in the environment. The results also indicate that molecular methods are more sensitive than cultural techniques, in that the only evidence for organisms in the environment surrounding the buildings came from positive PCR reactions. PCR would appear to be a useful method for studying the microbial ecology of Antarctic environments. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Antarctic Halley Research Station ENVELOPE(-26.209,-26.209,-75.605,-75.605) Antarctic Science 9 2 156 161 |
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Open Polar |
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Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
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ftnerc |
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unknown |
description |
Human contamination of Antarctic environments is a sensitive issue and has been the focus of many research articles over the past 35 years. The majority of these studies have targeted waste materials and various hydrocarbons, with assessment of microbial contaminants being largely restricted to sewage outfalls. The present study aimed to detect bacteria of human origin in the area surrounding Halley research station. It was apparent from both molecular and culture methods that bacteria of human origin are extremely difficult to detect outside the immediate surrounding of the buildings, though recommendations are made for increasing the probability of determining the presence of organisms in the environment. The results also indicate that molecular methods are more sensitive than cultural techniques, in that the only evidence for organisms in the environment surrounding the buildings came from positive PCR reactions. PCR would appear to be a useful method for studying the microbial ecology of Antarctic environments. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Upton, M. Pennington, T.H. Haston, W. Forbes, K.J. |
spellingShingle |
Upton, M. Pennington, T.H. Haston, W. Forbes, K.J. Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station |
author_facet |
Upton, M. Pennington, T.H. Haston, W. Forbes, K.J. |
author_sort |
Upton, M. |
title |
Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station |
title_short |
Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station |
title_full |
Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station |
title_fullStr |
Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station |
title_full_unstemmed |
Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station |
title_sort |
detection of human commensals in the area around an antarctic research station |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
1997 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514747/ https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-26.209,-26.209,-75.605,-75.605) |
geographic |
Antarctic Halley Research Station |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Halley Research Station |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science |
op_relation |
Upton, M.; Pennington, T.H.; Haston, W.; Forbes, K.J. 1997 Detection of human commensals in the area around an Antarctic research station. Antarctic Science, 9 (2). 156-161. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102097000205 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
156 |
op_container_end_page |
161 |
_version_ |
1766251566688370688 |