The surface sediments inside Hallim Harbor, one of the major harbors of Jeju Island, were sampled three times (June, September and December, 2001) and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), recommended by US-EPA as priority pollutants, to assess their distribution levels and to suggest their possible origins. The concentrations of PAHs ranged from 19 to 496 ng/g on a dry weight basis with a mean value of 245 ng/g, and the levels were low to moderate in comparison with other areas in the world. Based on comparisons of individual and total PAH concentrations with effects-based and equilibrium partitioning-based on sediment quality guidelines, the potential for the biological effects were expected to be low. The sedimentary PAHs may be correlated with organic carbon and mud contents to some extent. From the examinations of the four PAH origin indices, such as LMW/HMW (low molecular weight 2-3 ring PAHs over high molecular weight 4-6 ring PAHs), phenanthrene/anthracene ratio, fluoranthene/pyrene ratio, chrysene/benzo[a]anthracene ratio, it can be concluded that the sediment PAH contaminations were ascribed to both pyrolytic and petrogenic origins.
Butyltin compounds (BTs), namely tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT), were measured in surface sediments collected in 2001 inside Hallim Harbor where a lot of shipping occurs as one of major harbors of Jeju Island, in order to evaluate their distribution. BTs were detected in surface sediments of all stations and their concentrations were comparable to those in surface sediments of other sites of domestic and foreign countries. The main species among BTs was MBT, although there was a little difference with a survey site. No correlations were obtained between organic matter or particles size of surface sediments and total BTs, indicating that these factors did not affect on the distribution of BTs. It was estimated that more complex factors including BTs loads and surrounding sedimentary environments, affected on the distribution of BTs. The high correlations between BTs indicated that DBT and MBT were mainly degraded from TBT based on antifouling paints of vessel etc. and other sources, such as DBT and MBT, could be ignored. The butyltin degradation indexes ([DBT] + [MBT]/[TBT]) were in the range of 1.5~3.3 (mean 2.5), indicating that the parent compound, TBT, were inflowed into the surface sediments a long years ago and degraded.