Abstract
Microbiological investigations of pollution caused by humans at Syowa Station were conducted. Soil specimens were collected from the monitoring points set up by the 15th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-15). Other specimens collected from Ongul Kalven Island, stools of men left on the siol on East Ongul Island since previous JARE and soils surrounding the stools were also examind. Total sampling sites were 75. The following results were obtained: E. coli was not detected from the soils of the designated area, but other bacteria and fungi were detected. It was surprising that such large total numbers of bacteria and fungi were found near the Quarters at Syowa Station. Viable cell counts per gram of soil were 102-5 at 37C and 104-7 at 18C and the total fungal counts 102-6 within the area 100m distant from the Quarters. Viable cell counts per gram of soil decreased to 0-102 with the increase in the distance up to 200m from the Quarters. The total number of microorganisms was related to the activities of the members, and therefore, we concluded that most of these microorganisms were due to pollution caused by human beings. We proposed that the total number of bacteria or fungi is useful as a parameter for microbiological evaluation of the environment.
