Mass load-based pollution management of the Han River and its tributaries, Korea.
Spatio-temporal variations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total coliform (TC) in the Han River, Korea, were investigated in terms of concentration-based and mass loading-based approaches. Considering the river water quality criteria regulated by the Ministry of Environment in Korea, the tributaries linked to the mainstream of the Han River were found to be highly contaminated with respect to both BOD and TC and, in fact, most of the tributaries exceeded the maximum water quality criteria. To evaluate the pollution impact of tributaries on the mainstream, the monthly water quality monitoring data for six years (from 1995 to 2000) were collected from the Han River basin, and statistically analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The results revealed that mass loading-based approach was superior to the concentration-based approach for effective Han River watershed management. Overall results supported that the mass loading-based approach associated with total maximum daily loads (TMDL) management would be a useful and suitable protocol in watershed management for improving the water quality of the Han River and protecting public health. Therefore, this study supporting TMDL management can be applicable to a wide array of contaminants and watershed settings in Korea.
Kim
Jung-Woo
JW
Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 500-712, Korea.
Ki
Seo Jin
SJ
Moon
Jihee
J
Yoo
Sung Keun
SK
Ryu
Anna
A
Won
Jongho
J
Choi
Heechul
H
Kim
Joon Ha
JH
D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007723:Korea; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D014871:Water Microbiology / Q000592:standards; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018508:Water Purification / Q000592:standards*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical