Heavy Metal Pollution in the Surface Sediments of the Korean South-West Environmental Preservation Sea Areas

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Research article

Journal of the Korean Society for Environmental Analysis 2017;20(2):93-99.

한국 남서해 환경보전해역의 표층퇴적물 내 중금속 오염

정희호¹, 김동우², Nguyen Hoang Lam¹, 최태봉², 조현서¹

¹전남대학교
²전남대학교 수산해양대학

Abstract

Gamak Bay, Deukryang Bay, and Doam Bay were designated as Environmental preservation sea areas for conservation of fishery resources by the Korean government. It is essential to maintain the chemical status of these environments, particularly for heavy metals that pose potential risks to fishery resources. This study was, therefore, carried out to investigate the concentration distribution and potential risk of seven heavy metals, namely Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb, As, and Hg present in the surface sediments (n = 116) of these sea areas during March and August 2009. The metal concentrations in the sampling sites was found to be highly variable. The dominant metals were Zn (mean = 118.22 mg/kg) for Gamak Bay, Cr (mean = 19.07 mg/kg) for Dyukryang Bay, and Zn (mean = 39.07 mg/kg) for Doam Bay. Overall, the order of the target metals was Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > As > Hg > Cd. Additionally, the metal concentrations were categorized as less than Igeo Class 2 ‘Moderately polluted’; except for As determined during March in Gamak Bay. As had concentrations that categorized it under Igeo Class 3 ‘Moderately/strongly polluted’.

Key Words: Heavy metals, Pollution, Sediment, Environmental preservation sea area