Analysis of occurrence, bioaccumulation and molecular targets of arsenic and other selected volcanic elements in Argentinean Patagonia and Antarctic ecosystems Paula A. Lamela a , Julio A. Navoni b,c , Roberto D. Pérez d , Carlos A. Pérez e , Cristian L. Vodopivez f , Antonio Curtosi f , Guillermina A. Bongiovanni a,g, ⁎ a PROBIEN (Institute of Research and Development in Process Engineering, Biotechnology and Alternative Energies), CONICET-CCT Northern Patagonia, National University of Comahue, Neuquén, Argentina b PRODEMA (Post-Graduate Program in Development and Environment, Biosciences Center), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil c PPgUSRN (Post-Graduate Program in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources), Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil d IFEG (Institute of Physic Enrique Gaviola), CONICET-UNC, School of Mathematics, Astronomy and Physics, National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina e Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil f IAA (Argentinean Antarctic Institute), Buenos Aires, Argentina g School of Agricultural Sciences, National University of Comahue, Río Negro, Argentina HIGHLIGHTS • The relationship between volcanism and biota composition in Argentinean Patagonia and Antarctica is showed. • The highest arsenic concentration in water was related to the geothermal process on volcanoes. • As-protein bands were not detected (b0.25 μg/g) in As-accumulating spe- cies. • Hierarchical cluster analysis reveals high volcanism and low anthropic influ- ence in these particular environments. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT Active volcanism in Patagonia: Copahue volcano. Image captured in October 2018. Ashes in Victoria Island: Image captured in December 2012. Brazilian Synchrotron: authors during measurements in the XRF station. Antarctic Skúa near Carlini station. SRXRF Spectrum: non-normalized spectrum of fluorescent intensity at different energies. abstract article info Article history: Received 1 November 2018 Received in revised form 6 May 2019 Accepted 7 May 2019 Available online 11 May 2019 In Latin America, the high proportion of arsenic (As) in many groundwaters and phreatic aquifers is related to the volcanism of the Andean Range. Nevertheless, there is still very little published research on As and other ele- ments occurrence, and/or transference to biota in Southern regions such as Argentinean Patagonia and the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica, where there are active volcanoes and geothermal processes. Therefore, this study was aimed to describe water quality from the main rivers of Argentinean Northern Patagonia through Science of the Total Environment 681 (2019) 379–391 Abbreviations: SRXRF, synchrotron radiation x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy; LNLS, Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory; IDAEA-CSIC, Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research from Barcelona, Spain; HACRE, Regional Chronic Endemic Hydroarsenism; SVZ, Southern Volcanic Zone; APVG, Antarctic Peninsula volcanic group; ANP, Provincial Direction of Natural Protected Areas of Neuquén; COPADE, Ministry for Territorial Development of the Province of Neuquén; SSTyAP, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development Control of the Province of Chubut; CODEMA, Council of Ecology and Environment of the Province of Rio Negro; APN, National Park Administration; ASPA, Antarctic Specially Protected Areas; SPM, snail from Puerto Madryn; LLG, limpet from Las Grutas; MED, mussel from El Doradillo; AK, Antarctic krill; LAF, liver of Antarctic fish; KAS, kidney of Antarctic Skúa. ⁎ Corresponding author at: PROBIEN (CONICET-UNCo), Buenos Aires 1400, CP 8300, Neuquén, Argentina. E-mail address: guillermina.bongiovanni@probien.gob.ar (G.A. Bongiovanni). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.096 0048-9697/© 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Science of the Total Environment journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/scitotenv