Lichens and cryoconite (rounded or granular, brownish-black debris occurring in holes on the glacier surface) from Ny-Ålesund were used for understanding the elemental deposition pattern in the area. Lichen samples collected from low-lying coastal region and cryoconite samples from high altitudinal glacier area were processed and analysed for elements such as aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), cesium (Cs), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results showed that heavy metals, Al and Fe, are present in high concentration in the cryoconite samples. Al was also present in high amounts in seven of the eight lichen samples studied. The general scheme of elements in the decreasing order of their concentrations for most of the cryoconite samples was Al > Fe > Mn > Zn > V > Pb > Cr > Ni > Cu > Co > As > Cs > Cd while that for the lichen samples was Al > Fe > Zn > Mn > Pb > Cu > Cs > Cr > Ni > V > Co > As > Cd. Similarity in trends in the two sample types confirms that the environment indeed contains these elements in that order of concentration which overtime got accumulated in the samples. Overall comparison showed most elements to be present in high concentrations in the cryoconite samples as compared to the lichen samples. Within the lichens, elemental accumulation data suggests that the low-lying site (L-2) from where Cladonia mediterranea sample was collected was the most polluted accumulating a number of elements at high concentrations. The probable reasons for such deposition patterns in the region could be natural (crustal contribution and sea salt spray) and anthropogenic (local and long-distance transmission of dust particles). In the future, this data can form a baseline for monitoring quantum of atmospheric heavy metal deposition in lichens and cryoconite of Svalbard, Arctic.

Fifty-six fungal isolates from Arctic soils were subjected to primary screening for their ability to solubilize insoluble inorganic phosphate. Nine of the isolates were further analysed quantitatively for phosphatase production using para-nitrophenylphosphate as substrate. Amongst these, a cold-tolerant fungus, Penicillium citrinum strain PG162 was found to be the best producer of intracellular acid phosphatase. Further characterization of the enzyme showed that it is most active in the temperature range of 40–60°C and pH range of 4.2–4.8. The dried enzyme extract is stable at a temperature of up to 50°C for at least 1 h. Its activity is affected by presence of metal ions. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) analysis suggests the molecular weight of the enzyme to be between 20 and 29 kDa. The present study is important with respect to our understanding of the kind of enzymatic reactions that take place in the polar microbes, and the extent to which their activity is sustained

The present study was conducted to measure the elemental concentration and bacterial deposition in the firn-cores at the Midre Lovénbreen glacier, Svalbard. Firn-cores up to 1m deep were collected and divided into three subsections. These were subjected to elemental analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS). In all 20 elements were analysed. The crustal enrichment factors calculated for these elements on the basis of Fe values, demonstrate that the elements have derived from both crustal and anthropogenic sources. For certain elements there also exists a possibility of input from sea salt spray. Total bacterial counts in these firn samples ranged from 1.03 × 10 5 to 3.67 × 10 5 per ml of meltwater. Culturability of these bacterial cells, in comparison to the total count was very low. At 4 • C the maximum culturability was <1.4% of the total count while at 15 • C it was still lower (∼1%).

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