Concentrations and accumulation profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in aquatic tissues, and ambient air from South Korea

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2004-06, Vol.55 (10), p.1293-1302
• Main Authors: Im, Sook Hyeon, Strause, Karl D, Giesy, John P, Chang, Yoon Seok, Matsuda, Muneaki, Wakimoto, Tadaaki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air; Air Pollutants - analysis; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Benzofurans - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon Isotopes; Dioxins - analysis; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fish; Fishes - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Korea; Marine and brackish environment; Masan Bay; PCDDs; PCDFs; Shellfish; Shellfish - analysis
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2003.11.046

Polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDDs/DFs), including 2378-substituted isomers were present in samples of shellfish and fish, and ambient air collected from Masan Bay, and Masan City, South Korea. Total concentrations of PCDDs/DFs in mussel and clam were 750 pg g −1, lipid weight (lw), and 3418 pg g −1, lw, respectively. Total concentrations of PCDDs/DFs in mullet, gizzard and flounder were 52, 82, and 122 pg g −1, lw, respectively. Shellfish tissues contained a greater number of PCDD/DF isomers, contributing greater total concentrations of PCDDs/DFs compared to fish collected from the same locations. The predominance of 2378-substituted PCDDs/DFs in fish is represented in greater total concentrations of 2378-TeCDD equivalents (TEQs), whereas there was very limited occurrence of 2378-substituted isomers in shellfish. TEQ concentrations in samples of mussel and clam were 0.97 and 12 pg g −1, lw, respectively. Total TEQs in mullet, gizzard and flounder were 12, 22 and 18 pg g −1, lw, respectively. In fish 2378-substituted PCDDs accounted for 100% of the total concentrations of PCDDs, and 2378-substituted PCDFs accounted from 59% to 73% of the total PCDFs. The 2378-substituted isomers accounted for only 3% of the total PCDDs/DFs in shellfish. Ambient air collected from two sites contained a wide range of isomers of tetra- through heptachlorinated PCDDs/DFs. Even though the total concentration of PCDDs/DFs in ambient air (12.8 pg m −3) collected from an industrial area was 2-fold greater than that in air samples (6.3 pg m −3) collected from an urban/rural area, total TEQs (0.07 and 0.08 pg m −3) there was no statistical difference between the two samples.