title: Severe pollution of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in sediments from Lake Shihwa, Korea: tracking the source.
abstract: Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) were determined in surface sediments from Lake Shihwa and from creeks that discharge into this artificial lake. The toxic equivalents (TEQs) in sediments ranged from 1.0 to 1770 pg/g dry weight, which were some of the highest values ever reported so far for coastal sediments on a global basis. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs decreased with increasing distance from the creeks to offshore regions of the lake. Based on a multivariate statistical analysis and congener profiles, it was found that high contamination by PCDD/Fs in creek sediments collected around Lake Shihwa was associated with releases from chlor-alkali processes. Significant correlations were found for total organic carbon content and the concentrations of highly chlorinated PCDD/F congeners. This is the first report to document chlor-alkali processes as a significant source of PCDD/F contamination in Korean coastal waters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Marine Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791, Republic of Korea. hbmoon@hanyang.ac.kr
authors.forename: Hyo-Bang
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Minkyu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hee-Gu
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kurunthachalam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kannan
mesh_terms: D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D004147:Dioxins; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C023614:dibenzofuran; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls