Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in marine sediments from Mokpo coastal water of Korea

Abstract

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) were determined in marine sediments from Mokpo coastal water of Korea. Total and toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations of PCDD/Fs ranged from 19.4 to 175pg/g dry weight and ranged from 0.195 to 2.87 pg WHO-TEQ/g dry weight, respectively. These PCDD/F concentrations were below the safety sediment value (20 pg TEQ/g dry weight) of chronic toxicity. A highly significant correlation between the concentrations of PCDD/Fs and total organic carbon (TOC) in marine sediments was observed. Overall PCDD/F concentrations in the sediments were elevated in rivers and at inner locations close to harbors, indicating that these contaminants derived from local discharges of human activities. PCDD/F concentrations measured in our study were lower than those in several industrialized areas in Korea. Nonparametric multidimensional scaling (MDS) ordination showed that combustion processes from industrial complexes are the major source of PCDD/Fs in Mokpo coastal water.