This study deals with litter which has sunk and accumulated on the sea-bed of the Chinhae Bay obtained by using a beam trawler. The litter collected through the duration of survey (1997~1998) were distributed from 8.76~80.63 items/ha and 3.51~108.39 kg/ha, respectively, in quantities and weights. Especially bulky wastes(shell, tires, motorcycle and refrigerator) were composed of 76% of them, next metal and glasses, 29.5%. The seasonal variability of litters in the bay is large, as 62% in April, next August, 23%, in total weights.These discarded substances have the widespread distribution but varied in each sampled area. Therefore they exist in a significant pollutants, as threatening the fishing activities and near marine environment, and also potential damage to marine resources.

We calculated the residual current forced by buoyancy, wind stress, and tidal stress in the Chinhae Bay using a three-dimensional diagnostic model. The calculated current was also compared with the observation. The flow directs outward from the central area of the Bay in the upper layer, and also forms eddy-shape stucture in the upper and middle layers. The flow of bottom layer shows an opposite pattern compared to those of top and middle layers. The maximum speed was 6.05 em/see (September) and 3.49 cm/sec (November) in the upper layer, and 4.39 cm/sec on both month in the middle layer. The Kinetic energy of November (8.39xlO' W) was larger than that of September (1.24xlO 'W), mainly resulting from larger buoyancy effect in September. In spite of the roughness of the grid size(1 km) and wind date, the calculated flow shows eorrelation(r=0.71) with the observation. We expect that the correlation be increased by increased by adopting the fine grid and the variable coefficients of diffusion and viscosity.

Marine dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum producing paralytic shellfish toxins is responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). To investigate its temporal distributions in Chinhae Bay where PSP occurs annually, SYBR GreenⅠ based A. minutum-specific real-time PCR probe was developed on the LSU rDNA region. Assay specificity and sensitivity were tested against related species, and its specificity was further confirmed by sequencing of field-derived samples. Ten months field survey in 2008 (a total 100 surface water samples) by using the real-time PCR probe showed that A. minutum was detected at very low densities of 1-4 cells L-1 in May and June being spring in Chinhae Bay, Korea.

The community of phytoplankton and water quality were investigated 5 times from October, 1994 to October, 1995 in the east area of Chinhae Bay. Seasonal changes of environmental parameters were shown general pattern and related to the red tide mechanism of phytoplankton community. Seasonal variations of dissolved oxygen concentrations were affected by the photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton community and the increase of COD at the bottom water was occurred after the red tide. The standing stocks of phytoplankton in this study area ranged 202 - 1616 Cells·ml^-1 and the bloom(red tide) was formed from April to July. The diatom species, Skeletonema costatum was a dominant species all the year round and the dinoflagellate species, Alexandrium tamarense and Prorocentrum triestinum were red tide species increased standing stocks in phytoplankton bloom.

In the Chinhae Bay, Korea, sedimentation rates and sedimentary record of anthropogenic metal loads were determined by ^210Pb dating and heavy metal analysis of four sediment cores. The sedimentation rates varied from 0.16g/㎠/yr(3.1㎜/yr) at Sta. C4, located within narrow waterway to 0.24g/㎠/yr(4.8㎜/yr) at Sta. C1, located in Haengam Bay. Maximum contents of Mn, Zn, Cu and Cr were observed at Sta. C2 located near the mouth of Masan Bay, while minimum contents were observed at Sta. C4. Mn/Fe ratios at Sta. C2 and Sta. C4 showed gradually increasing and decreasing downward, respectively, in the upper layer of sediment cores. This suggests that Mn may be diagenetically redistributed in highly reduced environment. At Sta. C2, the concentrations of Zn and Cu began to increase from 1920s by anthropogenic input and have been remarkablely increasing since mid 1960s. At Sta. C3, located near Sungpo, anthropogenic input of these two elements has also slightly increased after 1970s. However, pollution of these two elements was not significant in Haengam Bay(Sta. C1) and Chiljun waterway(Sta. C4). The pollution of Co, Ni and Cr was not remarkable in all core samples except surface sediment of Sta. C2. The total input of anthropogenic Zn and Cu since 1920s was estimated to be 28∼792 ㎍/㎠ and 0∼168㎍/㎠, respectively. Sta. C2 showed remarkablely higher values relative to other stations: anthropogenic loads of Zn and Cu constituted 27% and 29% of the total sedimentary inventories at the present day, respectively. Fe, Ni, Cr and Co contents showed good correlation(r>0.8) with each other. Anthropogenic Zn and Cu also showed a very good positive correlation(>0.9). However, correlation between these two group of element was quite scattered, indicating different sources and geochemical behaviors.