|
|
Environmental
Monitoring of Endocrine Disrupters in Korea
Dr. Kyung-Hee Choi Department of Environmental Risk Research National
Institute of Environmental Research, Republic of Korea
As the public is more concerned about endocrine disrupters (EDCs),
the Ministry of Environment in Korea has designed and established
a mid- and long-term research plan on EDCs. It includes screening
and testing methodology, exposure and adverse effects, risk assessment
and risk management. As a first year痴 project, a survey of consuming
patterns and the attitude of the public, investigations of the impact
of EDCs on the natural ecosystem and field test for environmental
monitoring were carried out.
Among these projects, the objectives of the environmental monitoring
are to measure the contamination level of EDCs in a variety of environmental
media, such as water, sediment, soil, air and biota, and to control
EDCs based on scientific rationale.
The National Institute of Environmental Research is responsible for
continuous monitoring as a principal investigator on this project
along with provincial health and environmental research institutes
and other certified research institutes.
The number of sites investigated are 43 for water, 11 for sediment,
24 for air, 35 for soil and 31 for biota. Monitoring sites were selected
at representative sites through the nation. The target chemical compounds
for analysis are 87 selected chemicals in 37 chemical groups among
the suspicious chemicals recommended by the WWF based on a consideration
of the amounts of chemicals in circulation, toxicities and possibilities
of detection in environmental media.
Results showed that 28 chemicals (13 chemical groups) including dioxins
were detected in at least one environmental medium, while 24 chemical
groups were not detected in any environmental media.
In addition, the number of chemicals detected and the level of concentration
measured were compared to those in Japan. In this presentation, the
results of the first year of environmental monitoring are reported.
The results provide a basis for the sound management of EDCs and policy-making
for the control of EDCs in Korea.
|
|
