Horizontal Distributions and Their Ecotoxicological Implications Relating to PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, and HCB in Sediments in the West Nakdong River

Horizontal distributions and their ecotoxicological implications relating to organochlorine compounds (OCs) were determined in surface sediments sampled from the West Nakdong River. The concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in surface sediments were in the range of 0.57-3.68, 0.41-8.35, 0.63-1.65, and n.d.-0.56 ng/g, respectively. DDTs represent the major OC in the West Nakdong River. Concentrations of PCBs and DDTs correlate with the total organic carbon (PCBs: r=0.874, p<0.001, and DDTs: r=0.762, p<0.05, respectively), indicating that organic content in the sediments is one of the major factors for influencing horizontal distribution of the organochlorine compounds in this river. Examining the potential poisonous character of the surface sediments to benthic organisms according to the sediment quality guideline (SQG), set out by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we found that the concentrations of total PCBs, p,p'-DDD, and ${\gamma}$-HCH were lower than the effects range-low (ER-L) and the probable effects level (PEL). As a result, it is considered that the effect of organochlorines in the region considered on benthic organisms is very low from the perspective of environmental toxicology. However, in terms of the Canadian SQC, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, and total DDTs, respectively, exceeded the interim sediment quality guidelines (ISQG) and the threshold effect level (TEL) in 30%, 17%, and 19%, respectively, of the sediment samples analyzed.

서낙동강 수계 퇴적물 내 PCBs, DDTs, HCHs 및 HCB의 수평적 분포와 잠재적 생태독성 영향 평가

본 연구는 서낙동강 표층퇴적물 내에 잔류하고 있는 유기염소계화합물의 수평적 분포와 잠재적 생태독성 영향력을 평가하였다. 표층퇴적물 내 PCBs, DDTs, HCHs 및 HCB의 잔류농도는 각각 0.57~3.68, 0.41~8.35, 0.63~1.65 및 n.d~0.56 ng/g의 범위로 주요 유기염소계화합물은 DDT 화합물이었다. PCBs, DDTs 농도와 총 유기탄소 함량은 유의한 상관관계(PCB: r=0.874, p<0.001, and DDTs: r=0.762, p<0.05)를 보여 서낙동강 수계에서 퇴적물 내 유기물 함량은 유기염소계화합물의 수평적 분포에 작용하는 주요 인자로 나타났다. 퇴적물 오염기준을 이용하여 서낙동강 표층퇴적물의 저서생물에 대한 잠재적인 생태독성 영향을 평가한 결과 ${\gamma}PCBs$, p,p'-DDD 그리고 ${\gamma}$-HCH의 농도는 ER-L (저서생물에 10% 악영향이 나타날 수 있는 농도)과 PEL (악영향 기대수준)보다 낮아 독성학적 관점에서 저서생물에 미치는 악영향은 낮은 것으로 평가되었다. 그러나 p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT 및 ${\Sigma}DDTs$는 각각 30, 17 및 19%의 퇴적물에서 잠정퇴적물권고기준(ISQG)과 최초영향수준(TEL)을 초과하였다.