한국 연안퇴적물 중 PCB 화합물의 분포특성

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is persistent, ubiquitous, and toxic contaminants in the environment. Their ready bioavailability and toxic potential to humans and wildlife have aroused global concern since the 1960s. Polychlorinated biphenyls, produced commercially since 1929, are now ubiquitous pollutants in the environment. By virtue of their chemical and physical stability, they were used in a wide variety of applications (e.g., dielectric fluids in capacitors and transformers, print inks, paints, and pesticides), resulting in global environmental contamination. An estimated, 1.3 million tons were produced globally from 1930 to 1993 (Breivik et al., 2002). Although the production of PCBs has been regulated and banned worldwide since 1970s, they are still in use in closed systems; hence, ongoing loss of PCBs to the environment is a major international issue. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) nominated 12 compounds, which included PCBs, as high priority persistent organic pollutant (POPs) (UNEP, 2001). As a consequence of the above factors, there exists a need for the assessment of regional PCB contamination. In the process of Korea's rapid industrialization and urbanization since the 1970s, a large amount of PCB has been used. Although an inventory of PCB usage is unfortunately not available, an estimated 560 tons of PCBs were used in Korea from 1975 to 1984 (Chung et al., 1995). Coastal region is the important area to Korea as the biggest industrial complexes, urbans, and aquacultures are intensively developed along the coastline. The Korean government controls persistent organic pollutants through the Hazardous Chemical Control Act, the Waste Control Act, and the Pesticide Control Act. These acts specify only limited environmental criteria for soil, leachate, wastes, and food. However, no marine environmental quality criteria have yet been established. To evaluate the contamination status of the overall Korean marine environment, a compreh