1. Introduction

Glaciers are not only contributors to the sea level rise but can also accumulate and release pollutants [1, 2], as well as transform the chemical composition of water that originates or flows through them. Since glacial water is used by over a billion people for domestic purposes [3], both the quality and quantity of this water should be monitored. Indeed, such

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studies can be a vast source of knowledge on the processes in the otherwise unavailable subglacial environment. In this chapter, we concentrate on the archipelago Svalbard in the Arctic, a typical target area for xenobiotics from long range atmospheric transport (LRAT), holding an important share of the Arctic glacial ice cover. We show the ways the glaciers of Svalbard are monitored for water losses and quality changes, alongside some benefits already acquired through such studies. A new direction in the research is needed that would deepen the interpretation of the obtained monitoring data.
