Integrity of aquatic ecosystems: An overview of a message from the South Pole on the level of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

摘要

Two third of our planet is covered by water, and lakes and rivers are the most important freshwater resources. But the amount of fresh water represents only 2.5% of the earth's water. Of the earth's fresh water, about 70% is locked up in the continental ice, 30% in underground aquifers and only 0.3% in rivers and lakes. In many water ecosystems around the world, climate change and environmental contamination affect water quantity and quality and water-related ecosystems. It is well known that a fifth of the population in Europe and the America drink contaminated water which does not meet international standard criteria, and also that the consumption of low-quality drinking water is responsible for around 80% of human diseases in the world (official data from World Health Organization, WHO). Thus, the assessment of the integrity of aquatic ecosystems is crucial for its correct management. One of the most critical parameter in evaluating the water resource integrity is the contamination level that can be evaluated by comparing it with equivalent ecosystems in their "natural" (or "pristine") state. However, because of the global impact of human activities, only Antarctica can be still considered "almost natural".