Benthic macroinvertebrates are important ecological and environmental indicators as primary or secondary consumers, and therefore are widely used in the evaluation of aquatic environments. However, there are no comprehensive river ecosystem monitoring surveys that link the major physicochemical water quality items with benthic macroinvertebrates in urban streams. Therefore, this study investigated the distribution characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates and physicochemical water quality items (17 items) in Yangjaecheon and Yeouicheon from 2019 to 2020. At the same time, by applying Spearman’s rank correlation analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) analysis in the water quality data and biotic index, we tried to provide basic data for diagnosing the current status of river ecosystems in major urban rivers in Seoul. Based on the study results, a total of 39 species and 3,787 individuals were identified in Yangjaecheon, the water quality (based on BOD, TOC, and TP) of Yangjaecheon was higher than Grade Ib (good), and the BMI using benthic macroinvertebrates appeared as Grade C (normal) at all the sites. In Yeouicheon, a total of 51 species and 4,199 individuals were identified, the water quality (based on BOD, TOC, TP) was higher than Grade Ib (good) similar to Yangjaecheon, and the BMI of both Upstream and Saewon bridge was Grade B (good), while Yeoui bridge was Grade C (normal). Overall, analysis results for the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates by a nonmetric multidimensional scaling method showed no significant difference between the two streams (p=0.1491). Also, significant environmental variables related to benthic macroinvertebrates distribution were determined as water temperature and DO. On the other hand, the results of the correlation analysis between biotic index and major water quality items confirmed that R1 and BMI could be used for on-site urban river water quality evaluation.

This study was concentrated that the contents of heavy metals were estimated from 782 samples of sold fisheries in Seoul(33 species in fishes, 15 in bivalves, 12 in crustaceans and 10 in others) by Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The contents of As, Cd and Pb [minimum-maximum (mean)] were N.D.-0.162 mg/kg(0.021), 0.001-0.120 mg/kg(0.014) and 0.015-0.499 mg/kg(0.111) in fishes, 0.003-0.311 mg/kg(0.052), N.D.-1.905 mg/kg(0.182) and 0.013-0.462 mg/kg(0.138) in bivalves, N.D.-0.328 mg/kg(0.042), 0.002-1.113 mg/kg(0.079) and 0.006-0.510 mg/kg(0.109) in crustaceans, N.D.-0.181 mg/kg(0.024), 0.001-0.214 mg/kg(0.033) and 0.010-V0.877 mg/kg(0.118) in others respectively, bivalves were the highest than others. The average weekly intakes of three metals from sold fisheries took about 1.4-26.4% of PTWI (provisional tolerable weekly intakes) that FAO/WHO Joint Food Additive and Contaminants Committee had set to evaluate their safety.

In order to investigate the distribution of paralytic shellfish poison, we examined the toxicity during from February to October in 2000. Of 591 shellfish samples, 17(2.88%) samples were detected. Scapgarca broughtonii was highest collected 14.29%(2/14). In the monthly detection rate of PSP, April was highest 13.3%(8/60), in the regional collecting rate, Cheon-nam coastal area was highest 3.82%(10/262), and in cases of imported area, China was 8.3%(1/12). Imported area as well as domestic area samples should be strengthen to examine enduringly.