Distribution of Methyl Mercury in Sediments from Kyeonggi Bay, Namyang Bay, Chinhae Bay, and Lake Shihwa, Korea

To elucidate contamination levels and distribution of methyl mercury (Me-Hg) in Korean coastal areas, 126 sediment samples were collected from Kyeonggi Bay, Namyang Bay, Chinhae Bay, and Lake Shihwa during 1995-1996, and the Me-Hg concentrations were determined by cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CVAFS). Contamination levels of Me-Hg in sediments from Kyeonggi Bay, Namyang Bay, Chinhae Bay, and Lake Shihwa were 274 ${\pm}$ 990, 108 ${\pm}$ 24, 294 ${\pm}$ 342, and 1080 ${\pm}$ 760 pg/g, respectively. Concentrations of Me-Hg in sediments were significantly correlated with total organic carbon and sulfur contents, but were independent of mud contents and mean grain size. The highest concentration of Me-Hg (7100 pg/g) was observed at Incheon North Harbor (Site Kl9) in Kyeonggi Bay. This Me-Hg concentration was one or two orders of magnitude higher than those in other Kyeonggi Bay sediments were. The average concentration of Me-Hg in sediments from Lake Shihwa was higher than in those from other study areas. The three peaks of Me-Hg concentrations were observed on three sites (55, 56,and 510) in Lake Shihwa and gradually decreased in distance-dependent manner around these sites. High concentrations of Me-Hg at surface and 10-cm sediment depth in Chinhae Bay maybe due to higher rates of methylation process by active sulfate-reducing bacteria or higher concentrations of total mercury available to sulfate-reducing bacteria.