| Title: | "Occurrence, Potential Sources, and Risk Assessment of Volatile Organic Compounds in the Han River Basin, South Korea" |
| Author(s): | Im JK; Yu SJ; Kim S; Kim SH; Noh HR; Kim MK; |
| Address: | "National Institute of Environmental Research, Han River Environment Research Center, 42, Dumulmeori-gil 68beon-gil, Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do 12585, Korea. Department of Environmental Science, Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA. Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwank-gu, Seoul 08826, Korea" |
| Journal Title: | Int J Environ Res Public Health |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1660-4601 (Electronic) 1661-7827 (Print) 1660-4601 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Increasing public awareness about the aesthetics and safety of water sources has shifted researchers' attention to the adverse effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on humans and aquatic organisms. A total of 17 VOCs, including 10 volatile halogenated hydrocarbons and seven volatile non-halogenated hydrocarbons, were investigated at 36 sites of the Han River Basin, which is the largest and most important drinking water source for residents of the Seoul metropolitan area and Gyeonggi province in South Korea. The VOC concentrations ranged from below detection limits to 1.813 microg L(-1). The most frequently detected VOC was 1,2-dichloropropane, with a detection frequency of 80.56%, as it is used as a soil fumigant, chemical intermediate, and industrial solvent. In terms of geographical trends, the sampling sites that were under the influence of sewage and industrial wastewater treatment plants were more polluted with VOCs than other areas. This observation was also supported by the results of the principal component analysis. In the present study, the detected concentrations of VOCs were much lower than that of the predicted no-effect concentrations, suggesting low ecological risk in the Han River. However, a lack of available ecotoxicity data and limited comparable studies warrants further studies on these compounds" |
| Keywords: | "*Air Pollutants/analysis Environmental Monitoring Humans Republic of Korea Risk Assessment Rivers Seoul *Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis *Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis Wwtp ecological risks industrial complexes surface water;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineIm, Jong Kwon Yu, Soon Ju Kim, Sujin Kim, Sang Hun Noh, Hye Ran Kim, Moon Kyung eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Switzerland 2021/05/01 Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Apr 2; 18(7):3727. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18073727" |
