Changes in lead concentration in Antarctic penguin droppings during the past 3,000 years

Anthropogenic lead (Pb) has been found in Antarctic seawater, surface snow and ice-cores. Here, we analyzed a 3,000-year record of lead concentration in lake sediments affected by penguin droppings. We found that lead concentration in penguin droppings has significantly increased during the last 200 years, especially in the last 50 years, as compared to low and stable lead levels prior to the Industrial Revolution. This clearly indicates that global environmental pollution has influenced the Antarctic ecological system. Heavy metal (Pb) may find its way into the food web, bioaccumulate, and be passed along the chain to penguins.