title: Restoration and source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons after the Wu Yi San oil spill, Korea.
abstract: On January 31, 2014, an oil spill accident occurred in Yeosu, South Korea. A total 800-899kl of oil from the pipeline was spilled into the sea. After the oil spill, the KIOST (Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology) researched PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in various media, but sedimentary PAHs were not analyzed despite their longer persistency than in other media. Therefore, this study examined PAH levels in intertidal sediments around Gwangyang Bay and identified PAH sources using oil fingerprinting. PAH residual levels showed a dramatic decrease during the four months after the accident and then remained at a relatively constant level. Analysis through regression equations indicate that this study area is likely to be restored to the PAH levels prior to the accident. Furthermore, the source analysis and oil fingerprinting analysis showed that PAH contamination in this study was unlikely to have originated from the spilled oil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yu Lee
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: He Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Shin Yeong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Aqualife Medicine, Chonnam National University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Heung-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kgb@gnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Gi Beum
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D056910:Republic of Korea; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical