Highlights•Glaciers act as cold condensers where the deposition of contaminants is
favored.•Cryoconite holes are efficient traps for contaminants and are biologically active …

Mountain glaciers are crucial sources of fresh water, contributing directly and indirectly to
water, energy and food supplies for hundreds of millions of people. Assessing the impact of …

Glaciers are considered secondary sources of pollutants, including radioisotopes such as
Cesium or Plutonium, with heightened concentrations compared to other ecosystems. The …

Glacier mice are peculiar rolling or stationary moss balls found on the surface of some
glaciers. They may harbour an ecological habitat for cold-adapted invertebrates and …

The accumulation of fallout radionuclides (FRNs) from nuclear weapons testing and nuclear
accidents has been evaluated for over half a century in natural environments; however, until …

Glaciers are recognized as repositories for atmospheric pollutants, however, due to climate
change and enhanced melting rates, they are rapidly transitioning from being repositories to …

The analysis of uranium isotope ratio 235 U/238 U in environmental media serves as a
reliable method to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic sources of uranium …

Atmospheric deposition on glaciers is a major source of legacy fallout radionuclides (FRNs)
accumulating in cryoconite, a dark granular material with surface properties that efficiently …

Cryoconite is a specific type of material found on the surface of glaciers and icesheets.
Samples of cryoconite were collected from the Orwell Glacier and its moraines, together with …

Contemporary melting glaciers are considered a secondary source of pollutants including
radionuclides. Cryoconite-biogenic sediment on the glacier surface-exhibits high …