• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.203-217
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• 2021

Background: Sea turtles, which are globally endangered species, have been stranded and found as bycatch on the Korean shore recently. More studies on sea turtles in Korea are necessary to aid their conservation. To investigate the spatio-temporal occurrence patterns of sea turtles on the Korean shore, we recorded sampling locations and dates, identified species and sexes and measured sizes (maximum curved carapace length; CCL) of collected sea turtles from the year 2014 to 2020. For an analysis of diets through stomach contents, we identified the morphology of the remaining food and extracted DNA, followed by amplification, cloning, and sequencing. Results: A total of 62 stranded or bycaught sea turtle samples were collected from the Korean shores during the study period. There were 36 loggerhead turtles, which were the dominant species, followed by 19 green turtles, three hawksbill turtles, two olive ridley turtles, and two leatherback turtles. The highest numbers were collected in the year 2017 and during summer among the seasons. In terms of locations, most sea turtles were collected from the East Sea, especially from Pohang. Comparing the sizes of collected sea turtles according to species, the average CCL of loggerhead turtles was 79.8 cm, of green turtles was 73.5 cm, and of the relatively large leatherback turtle species was 126.2 cm. In most species, the proportion of females was higher than that of males and juveniles, and was more than 70% across all the species. Food remains were morphologically identified from 19 stomachs, mainly at class level. Seaweeds were abundant in stomachs of green turtles, and Bivalvia was the most detected food item in loggerhead turtles. Based on DNA analysis, food items from a total of 26 stomachs were identified to the species or genus level. The gulfweed, Sargassum thunbergii, and the kelp species, Saccharina japonica, were frequently detected from the stomachs of green turtles and the jellyfish, Cyanea nozakii, the swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus, and kelps had high frequencies of occurrences in loggerhead turtles. Conclusions: Our findings support those of previous studies suggesting that sea turtles are steadily appearing in the Korean sea. In addition, we verified that fish and seaweed, which inhabit the Korean sea, are frequently detected in the stomach of sea turtles. Accordingly, there is a possibility that sea turtles use the Korean sea as feeding grounds and habitats. These results can serve as basic data for the conservation of globally endangered sea turtles.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.269-276
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• 2010

국내 유통되는 어류, 연체동물(두족류, 패류), 갑각류, 해조류에서 총 15종, 231건의 수산식품을 수거하여 총수은 및 메틸수은 오염량을 모니터링하고 조사대상 수산식품의 위해도를 평가하였다. 총수은 분석법(총수은분석기 사용)을 검토한 결과, 직선성($R^2$)은 0.999 이상이었고 검출 및 정량한계는 각각 $0.017\;{\mu}g/kg$, $0.051\;{\mu}g/kg$이었으며 표준인증물질 분석에 대한 정확도는 98% 이상이었다. 메틸수은 분석법(GC-ECD 사용)을 검토한 결과, 직선성($R^2$)은 0.990 이상이었고 회수율은 평균 70% 이상이었으며 검출 및 정량한계는 각각 0.003, 0.010 mg/kg이었다. 모니터링 결과, 수산식품 중 총수은 평균(단위: mg/kg)은 고등어 0.088, 갈치 0.061, 조기 0.030, 명태 0.032, 메기 0.059, 가물치 0.110, 오징어 0.030, 낙지 0.026, 꽃게 0.035, 굴 0.009, 바지락 0.011, 홍합 0.008, 미역 0.018, 김 0.007, 다시마 0.019 이었다. 메틸수은 평균(단위: mg/kg)은 고등어 0.034, 갈치 0.016, 조기 0.005, 명태 0.008, 메기 0.023, 가물치 0.045, 오징어 0.011, 낙지 0.009, 꽃게 0.008이었으며 굴, 바지락, 홍합, 미역, 김, 다시마에서는 검출되지 않았다. 본 연구에서 조사된 수산식품별 총수은 및 메틸수은의 오염량 평균과 국민건강영양조사의 일일식품섭취량을 근거로 하여 15종의 수산식품에서 섭취되는 총수은과 메틸수은의 총 주간추정섭취량(total estimated weekly intake)을 각각 산출하였다. 이를 JECFA의 PTWI(총수은: $5\;{\mu}g/kg$ b.w./week, 메틸수은: $1.6\;{\mu}g/kg$ b.w./week)와 비교했을 때 각각 3.57, 3.34% 수준으로서, 15종의 수산식품 섭취에 의한 수은 노출량은 낮은 수준으로 나타났다. 결론적으로 수은 섭취에 주로 기여하는 식품군이 수산식품이며 조사대상 수산식품 15종의 섭취량은 전체 수산식품 섭취량에서 높은 비중을 차지하는 것을 고려하였을 때 수은 오염에 대한 국내 유통 수산식품의 위해도는 낮은 것으로 판단된다.