Occurrence and spatial distribution of organic contaminants in sediments from Chinhae Bay, Korea

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were monitored in surface sediment of Chinhae Bay, Korea. Sum (Σ) concentration (minimum, maximum and average - ng/g dry weight) ranged: ΣBTs (ng Sn/g): 12, 1230, 221; ΣPAHs: 54, 632, 182; nonylphenol: 107, 207, 148; bisphenol A: 4. 36, 135, 83; T-PCBs: 0. 64, 18, 3. 49; ΣDDT: 0. 19, 7. 36, 1. 15; ΣCHL: 0, 0. 49, 0. 06; ΣHCH: 0. 03, 0. 36, 0. 10. Among them BTs, PAHs, nonylphenol and bisphenol A were detected in all locations. Chlordanes, HCHs and DDTs were at low levels. Levels of tributyltin remained similar to levels in 1987-94. PAHs were within national average. Chinhae Bay derives its pollution from a) two poβible point sources, namely, industrial and urban activities from inner Masan Bay and shipping activities from Kohyon Bay; b) diffuse sources of various sorts. Spatial distribution and chemical composition of POPs together with their inter-relationships were investigated. © 2010 The Korean Society of Environmental Risk Assessment and Health Science and Springer.