Over 25,000 DDT-tainted barrels are discovered on seafloor off California
加利福尼亚邻近海域的海底发现逾 25000 个含滴滴涕（DDT）污染物的桶状物
In 2011, a curious marine scientist captured a series of photos of the ocean floor that left him disturbed. Using a sea drone, he documented dozens of corroding industrial barrels, scattered 12 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. Tests later showed that the sediment inside contained exceptionally high concentrations of DDT and other chemical waste.
2011 年，一位好奇的海洋科学家拍下了一组海底照片，这些照片随后一直令他心神不宁。借助着无人潜航器，他记录下了几十个散落在洛杉矶海岸 12 英里外的腐蚀的工业桶。后来的化验表明，桶中的沉积物含有极高浓度的杀虫剂滴滴涕（DDT）和其他化学废物。
How serious his discovery was for marine life — and for the humans who consume that marine life — depended in part on whether he had captured the bulk of this eerie chemical graveyard or just a tiny piece.***
对于海洋生物，以及食用那些海洋生物的人类而言，他的这一发现有多么严重，部分取决于他到底是记录下了这一骇人化工品“坟场”的绝大部分，还是只窥见了其中一角。
A decade later, that scientist,David Valentine, a professor of biology and earth science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has an answer. A group of scientists shared the results of an extensive mission focused on mapping the area. They counted more than 25,000 barrels that they believed contain DDT-laced industrial waste.
十年过后，那位科学家，也就是加州大学圣巴巴拉分校的生物学和地球科学教授大卫 · 瓦伦丁，有了答案。一组科学家分享了他们在（上文提及的）那片水域开展的一次大规模海洋测绘的任务成果。据科学家们统计，这一水域存有逾 25,000 个工业桶，他们认为这些桶中装载着含有滴滴涕的工业废料。
Valentine, who served as a consultant on the recent mission, said the latest images suggest that a ticking time bomb lurks 3,000 feet below the surface. Because the industrial drums are now disintegrating, it is possible that the waste is more of a threat now than when the barrels were dumped.
在最近这次测绘任务中担任顾问的瓦伦丁说，最新图像表明，一个滴答作响的定时炸弹正潜伏于海平面以下的 3000 英尺处。由于工业桶正在腐蚀破损，所以相比被扔弃之初，这些废料如今可能更具威胁性。
"The uniquely high body burden of DDT in top predators feeding in Southern California waters has been known for some time," said Lihini Aluwihare, a chemical oceanographer who was not part of the mission. In 2015, Aluwihare published a study that found high concentrations of DDT in the blubber of bottlenose dolphins.
未参与此次测绘任务的化学海洋学家 Lihini Aluwihare 表示：“只有在南加利福尼亚水域捕食的顶级掠食者体内含有浓度格外高的滴滴涕，人们对此知晓已久”。2015 年，Aluwihare 曾发表一项研究，该研究发现宽吻海豚的鲸脂中含有高浓度滴滴涕。
"The extent of the dumping ground helps to explain some of these previous observations," she said.
“废料倾倒场的面积之大有助于解释先前的一些观察结果。”Aluwihare 说。
主编：大仔
品控：大仔
审核：夏天
重点词汇
taint
/teɪnt/
v. 污染；玷污
例句：His reputation was tainted with the scandal.
例句：The air was tainted by fumes from the cars.
搭配短语：radiation-tainted water.
barrel
/ˈber.əl/
n. 桶
例句：Oak barrels are vital for wine production.（橡木桶对葡萄酒的生产至关重要。）
marine
/məˈriːn/
adj. 海洋的
搭配短语：marine life（海洋生物）
搭配短语：marine park（海洋公园）
搭配短语：marine scientist（海洋科学家）
capture
/ˈkæp.tʃɚ/
v. 拍摄记录；捕捉；捕获
搭配短语：to capture an enemy soldier（捕获）
例句：The animals are captured in nets.（动物被猎网捕获。）
搭配短语：to capture one's heart（捕获某人芳心）
搭配短语：to capture one's attention（吸引某人注意）
搭配短语：to capture wondeful moments through photography（用摄影捕捉精彩瞬间）
disturb
/dɪˈstɝːb/
v. 使不安，使心神不宁；打扰
例句：Some scenes are violent and may disturb younger viewers.（使不安）
drone
/droʊn/
n. 无人航行器，无人机；雄蜂
搭配短语：camera drone（遥控航拍机）
搭配短语：sea drone（无人潜航器）
文化补充：雄蜂（drone），不同于会采蜜，筑巢的普通工蜂；他们毕生的任务就是与蜂后交配，除了吃喝，什么都不会。人们觉得雄蜂没有自己的意志和想法，而且蜜蜂嗡嗡飞舞的样子也和无人机很像，所以 drone 后来就被用来指代被人遥控的无人航行器。
document
/ˈdɑː.kjə.mənt/
v. 记录，记载
词性拓展：document（n. 文件）
例句：The harmful effects of greenhouse gases have been well documented.
corrode
/kəˈroʊd/
v. 腐蚀，锈蚀
例句：Steel tends to corrode faster in a salty atmosphere.
scatter
/ˈskæt̬.ɚ/
v. 散布；撒
搭配短语：to scatter seeds（播撒）
例句：He often leave toys scattered all over the floor.
concentration
/ˌkɑːn.sənˈtreɪ.ʃən/
n. 浓度
consume
/kənˈsuːm/
v. 摄入，食用；消耗
搭配短语：consume a lot of fuel（消耗大量燃料）
搭配短语：consume a lot of time（耗费大量时间）
例句：A large amount of sugar is consumed when drinking bubble tea.
bulk
/bʌlk/
n. 大部分，主要部分；大批量
搭配短语：to buy sth. in bulk
例句：The great bulk of the work has now been done.
eerie
/ˈɪr.i/
adj. 诡异恐怖的
近义词：strange（adj. 怪异的）；frightening（adj. 骇人的，恐怖的）
extensive
/ɪkˈsten.sɪv/
adj. 大范围的
map
/mæp/
v. 绘制……的地图
词性拓展：map（n. 地图）
lace
/leɪs/
v. 使掺杂；为……调味
词性拓展：lace（n. 花边；蕾丝）
搭配短语：to lace a drink with alcohol（在饮料中掺入酒精来调味）
搭配短语：His remark is laced with irony.（他的言论中透着嘲讽。）
lurk
/lɝːk/
v. 潜伏
例句：Danger lurks around every corner.（危机四伏）
搭配短语：to lurk in the group chat（在聊天群里潜水）
搭配短语：to lurk on social media（只看社交动态而不互动/偷看别人动态）
drum
/drʌm/
n. 大桶
近义词：barrel（n. 桶）
disintegrate
/dɪˈsɪn.t̬ə.ɡreɪt/
v. 破裂，瓦解
例句：The country has disintegrated into separate states.
predator
/ˈpred.ə.t̬ɚ/
n. 掠食者
dumping ground
/ˈdʌm.pɪŋ ˌɡraʊnd/
n. 垃圾场，倾倒场
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