Ion chromatographic determination of major anions and cations in Antarctic ice

The ionic content of polar ice sheet is useful in tracing the sources of impurities, which lead to the final composition of the atmosphere. Ion chromatography is a suitable tool for analysing the ionic content of polar ice, provided precautions are taken to avoid ice contamination during sampling and analyses. In the present study a method for handling and analysing ice core samples was developed. The knowledge obtained was then applied for the determination of major ions in Dome B (East Antarctica) ice core to analyse the potential of extracted information for understanding the past atmospheric changes.