Impact of inland pollution sources on the bacteriological water quality of the Southern Ganghwado Bay Area, South Korea

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

<P>The bacteriological pollution of water is a serious global environmental issue. The pollution of water by human and animal wastes can be a source of hazardous pathogens, which may pose serious health risks. In this study, we evaluated the microbiological water quality in the southern Ganghwado Bay area, South Korea. A total of 30 samples ( 14 discharge water samples from the drainage area and 16 sea water samples from the adjacent area) were analyzed for the concentrations of total coliforms ( TC) and fecal coliforms ( FC) in November 2013. The highest concentration of FC ( 28,000 MPN/100 mL) was found at site L1 ( inland). The highest mean concentrations of coliforms were found at sites W9 ( sea water) and W11 ( sea water), with TC and FC concentrations of 33 MPN/100 mL. In conclusion, site L1 located near W9 and W11 is clearly identified as the main source of pollution at Dongmak Beach.</P>