Tracing Wastewater Contamination in Sediments from Ulsan Bay of Korea Using Nonylphenolic Compounds

Nonylphenolic compounds (NPs) were determined in 38 surface sediment samples from Ulsan Bay and vicinity. Concentrations of NPs were compared with the levels of other anthropogenic contaminants, to have a better understanding of the contamination origin. Concentrations of nonylphenol (NP), and nonylphenol mono- and di-ethoxylates (NP12EO) were 12.8-5772 ng/g dry wt (average: 351 ng/g dry wt), and 29.8-1204ng/g dry wt (average: 194 ng/g dry wt), respectively. The range of NPs in the present study was higher than or comparable to those reported in other locations of Korean coastal waters. High concentrations of NPs were found in river and/or stream sediments receiving wastewater discharges from industrial complexes, and often exceeded the screening and ecotoxicological benchmarks. The concentrations of NPs in sediments correlated well with coprostanol (a fecal sterol) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, suggesting that contamination from NPs in the bay are closely associated with industrial and domestic effluents containing wastewater contaminants and toxic chemical