This everyday item showed up in Antarctica’s snow, and it raises a chilling question

During the austral summer of 2021–2022, a team of Italian scientists launched an expedition to the most remote continent on Earth: Antarctica. Their mission was to collect snow samples from the coast of the Ross Sea, a region where winds blow unobstructed and human presence is minimal. What they found upon returning to the lab was as unexpected as it was unsettling: traces of personal care products — including perfumes, sunscreens, and shampoos — embedded in the pristine snow of the white continent.

This discovery highlights an uncomfortable truth: even the most isolated corners of the planet are no longer safe from humanity’s chemical footprint.

For decades, Antarctica has been regarded as a symbol of environmental purity and a valuable climate archive. However, this new study shows that its isolation is no longer enough to guarantee protection. In total, 23 snow samples were analyzed from 18 different locations — some near research stations like Italy’s Mario Zucchelli Station, others hundreds of miles from any human settlement.

Lotions, medications, fragrances, creams…

All the samples contained semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) — chemicals invisible to the naked eye that are part of our everyday lives. The researchers identified three main categories:

• Salicylates, used in lotions and medications
• UV filters, found in sunscreens
• Synthetic musks, common in fragrances and detergents

One of the most concerning substances detected was octocrylene, a UV filter that has raised concerns for its potential toxicity to marine organisms and its persistence in the environment. According to the study, this compound tends to bind to solid particles, suggesting that it may have traveled long distances before settling into the snow.

Local or global pollution?

One of the first hypotheses was that the contaminants had originated from nearby research stations. However, wastewater analysis from the Mario Zucchelli Station didn’t match the chemical profile found in the snow. This led the researchers to a more troubling possibility: that the compounds had traveled thousands of miles, carried by atmospheric currents.

This phenomenon isn’t new. As early as past decades, pesticides like DDT were found in polar regions after drifting through the atmosphere over long distances. What’s new is that now we’re dealing with common, everyday consumer products, which — in theory — should degrade more easily. But theory doesn’t always hold up under the extreme conditions of Antarctica, the scientists warn.

The finding, the researchers argue, underscores the urgent need for more robust environmental monitoring programs. The presence of these compounds at both poles suggests we may be underestimating their potential for global dispersion.

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