PBDEs & PCBs CONTAMINATION IN MASAN BAY, KOREA

Abstract

Congener specific determination of Polybrominated diphenyls ethers (PBDEs) and Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in 21 surface sediment samples and a sediment core with 24 cross sections was carried out in Masan Bay, Korea. Among the 40 PBDE congeners targeted only 29 were detectable. The congener profile revealed the domination of BDE 209 followed by BDEs-99, -47,-153,-183 in that order in surface sediments. BDE-209 was dominant in core sample as well. On an average, sum of PCBs were three times higher than sum of PBDEs in surface sediment. However, sediment core sections reveal that this trend will soon change as PCB levels decrease over years while PBDE levels are in the increase. Distribution and correlation patterns of PBDEs and PCBs concentration in surface sediments reveal different sources for these contaminants. Shipping and other industrial activities are principal sources for PCBs while domestic & industrial waste discharge in Masan Bay is the source for PBDEs. The average concentration ranges for PBDEs and PCBs in surface sediments are 5.80, 14.81 ng/g dry weight (dw), which is not alarming at this moment.