PCB and PCDD/F totals, TEQs, and congener patterns in Korean coastal marine environments, 1987, 1988, 1990, and 1996-1999

Abstract

Various mussel and oyster samples and select top sediment samples were taken over 27 industrial and pristine coastal sites form South Korea's west, south, and east coasts. Site-specific total PCB, PCDD/F, and organochlorine TEQ levels in biota were 1-306 ng/g ww, 3-9,400 pg/g ww, and 0.3-200 pg/g ww, respectively. Temporal trends showed a general decrease in total TEQ with an increase in TEQ contribution by PCDD/Fs at most locations over the past decade. Linear regression was used to establish a relationship between each contaminant total and the respective TEQ contribution. Principal component analysis was used to model the congener-specific PCB and PCDD/F data, and two three-component models were developed that describe the congener-specific patterns based on the variance between samples over the entire data set. Unique PCDD/F patterns were identified and discussed with respect to outliers identified in the previously established TEQ regressions and a distinct PCDD/F pattern was found that related to a single industrial source (i.e., steel mill). PCB patterns were explored in relation to those of common commercial mixtures of PCBs (i.e., Aroclors) and patterns were discussed with respect to TEQ. It was found that sites with relatively high PCB-TEQs showed an Aroclor 1254-like contamination.