Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) is a shellfish that feeds on kelp and, as a product, it can often achieve a high market value. However, the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in coastal waters in Korea have been negatively impacted by pollution from many anthropogenic sources. Herein, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package was used to analyze the distribution of the DO concentration within an abalone containment structure. A finite volume approach was used to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations combined with a k–ε turbulence model to describe the flow. The distribution of DO was determined within the control volume domain, and the transport equations of the pollutants were interpreted using a CFD model. The CFD analysis revealed that more than 60% and 30% of the relative oxygen concentration in one and two containers, respectively, was maintained when the flow acts along the six sheets of polyethylene plates. Therefore, it is clear that the abalone plate shelters should be placed parallel to the flow.

We measured the grain size and metallics elements (Li, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb, Fe and As) of surface sediments collected from 27 sampling sites in the Abalone aquaculture. The concentration range and average value of metallics elements were also below the sediment quality guidelines (TEL). As the pollution level was estimated by using enrichment factor (Ef) and index of geoaccumulation (Igeo), the enrichment factor (Ef) was about 1 for most of metallic elements were smaller than 1. However Arsenic (As) had highest value of 2.35. Index of geoaccumulation (Igeo) for the metallic elements (As, Pb and Mn) were ranged Igeo-class 0 (practically unpolluted) and most metallics elements (Li, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg and Fe) were ranged Igeo-class 0~2, indicating that the pollution levels of metallic elements should not be significant. It is necessary to keep monitoring pollution level in Abalone aquaculture to conserve the blue belt.