• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.40-52
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• 2001

Using a biochemical indicator, the effects of fecal pollution in the estuary of the Nakdong river and in the Chinhae Hay were investigated from summer to winter in 1997-1998. The biochemical indicator used in this study was coprostanol (5-cholestan-3-ol) which is a kind of fecal sterol. It is a useful tracer of fecal pollution, as it is only found in feces of mammals including humans. Coprostanol was less affected by surrounding environments than other indicators of fecal pollution such as fecal coliform or ammonium and was proved to be a good indicator of fecal pollution. Therefore, long-term observations of coprostanol and related compounds could be used as useful indicators for the effects of feces on marine environments and ecosystems.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.26
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• pp.103-126
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• 2005

Coprostanol is a metabolic product of cholesterol, formed by microbial action in the mammalian gut. This chemical compound is the major sterol in human and has been routinely studied as a biomarker of sewage pollution in marine and lacustrinesediments. This has led to the search for coprostanol as a biomarker in archaeologicalsoils, in order to detect the presence of fecal material. In this study, five samples of archaeological soils excavated at Wanggung ri, Iksancity, were used to assess the possibility of using coprostanol as indicators of ancient human activity in archaeological areas. The sampled soils were analyzed MXRD,EDXRF for their physical and chemical properties. And coprostanol was analysed byGC/MSD, using SIM method to detect and quantify specific compound. The results showed the soils were composed of quartz and feldspars, inorganicelement such as $SiO_2$, $Al_2O_3$, $Fe_2O_3$ etc. Moreover, the result from the analysis wasindicated that the specific compound is coprostanol. The coprostanol was determined at $0.16~1.01\mug$/g in the range of concentrations. This finding indicate that clear promise exists for the exploitation of coprostanol as biomarker of ancient human activity inarchaeological survey. Therefore such studies can serve to increase the confidence we place on biomarker-based methodologies for assessing fecal pollution. The application of this methodology has proved a simple and effective way of searching for that pattern in successively more aged deposits either known or suspected to contain fecal material. And the more scientific analysis of the soils will be showed to utility of the area ancient dietary life style, ancient environment.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.118-128
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• 2005

Surface sediment samples from 31 stations in Jinhae Bay were analyzed to evaluate the pollution by sewage from the spatial distribution of the fecal sterol, coprostanol. The sums of eight sterols (coprostanol, epicholestanol, epicoprostanol, cholesterol, cholestanol, brassicasterol, stigmasterol and $\beta$-sitosterol) were in the range of $2,703-27,154{\cal}ng/{\cal}g$ dry weight. The concentrations of the coprostanol in the sediments, which is a good tracer of sewage-derived organic contamination, were in the range of $76-3,964{\cal}ng/{\cal}g$ dry weight. The levels of coprostanol were much higher (almost one order of magnitude) at stations close to the big cities such as Masan and Jinhae. However, those levels were comparable to or lower than those previously reported in other foreign locations. Some ratios of coprostanol to other sterols and multivariate analysis could provide us with the information on the origin of the sterols being from sewage, plankton, and/or benthos. Those showed sewage dominance at the stations near the cities Masan and Jinhae, plankton dominance at the center of Jinhae Bay and mainly marine fauna origin at the mouth of Jinhae Bay. These results suggest that the contents of sterols and some ratios of these components are quite powerful tracer for the detection of the origin of the organic contaminants in the coastal environments.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.224-231
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• 2002

Vertical distributions of coprostanol (5$\beta$-cholestan-3$\beta$-ol) and other sterols were investigated in the intertidal sediment of Shinbul island in the Han River estuary to estimate the short-term variations of fecal contamination in association with reclamation activity which caused a construction of tidal barrier and emigration of residents from the island. Quantitative contributions of coprostanol in total sterol (9.87-15.84%) and in total organic carbon (82.0-157.7 $\mu\textrm{g}$ g$^{-1}$ OC) implied that a substantial amount of organic matter associated with fecal pollutants was introduced into the sediment. The highest contribution of coprostanol to organic carbon that was observed between 0.3-0.9 cm depth seemed to be associated with increased human activities for the reclamation project of the island. The ratio of coprostanol to organic carbon decreased within 0.3 cm depth, which indicated decreased fecal contamination after the emigration of residents from the island. The results suggested that measurement of coprostanol could relevantly reflect short-term fluctuation of fecal contamination in the sediment of the Han River estuary.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.165-166
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• 2005

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2005

Surface sediments (0$\~$4 cm) were sampled at 40 stations from Ulsan Bay and its adjacent areas of Korea, to evaluate the contamination by sewage-derived organic matters using fecal sterols. Some sterols were quantified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Total concentrations of eight sterols (co­prostanol, cholesterol, cholestanol, epicholestanol, epicoprostanol, ${\beta}-sitosterol,$ brassicasterol, and stigmasterol) in the sediments from Ulsan Bay and its vicinity varied from 929 to 23,444 ng/g dry weight. The most predom­inant sterols were cholesterol and coprostanol, accounting for $33\~72{\%}$ of total sterols. The concentration of coprostanol known as the indicator of human feces ranged from 141 to 8,257 ng/g dry weight. In particular, the coprostanol concentrations in the sediments from Jansaengpo Harbor and Taehwa River exceeded the value of 1,000 ng/g dry weight, suggesting that these areas could be considered as the hot-spot zones by municipal sewage contamination. Some molecular indices and multivariate data analysis were used to assess the origin of these sterols in the sediments. Results showed that the major routes of sewage contamination in Ulsan Bay and its vicinity were the input through Jansaengpo Harbor and Taehwa River.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.481-490
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• 2005

Surface sediments and seawater were sampled at Masan and Haengam Bays of Korea, to evaluate contamination by sewage-derived organic matter using fecal sterols, Six stream-water samples into Masan and Haengam Bays were also sampled. Total concentrations of eight sterols (coprostanol, epichloestanol, epicoprostanol, cholesterol, cholestanol, brassicasterol, stigmasterol and $\beta-sitosterol$) were in the range of $1,274\~4,768{\mu}g/g$ dry weight in suspended particulate from the stream-water, $292\~2,244{\mu}g/g$ dry weight in suspended particulate from the seawater and $4.5\~27.2{\mu}g/g$ dry weight in the sediments. Although sterol compositions in sediments, seawater and stream-water were different, cholesterol was the predominant sterol in all samples. The proportion and concentration of coprostanol, a sewage tracer, in stream-water was much higher than those in sediment and seawater. The sterol levels including coprostanol in the sediments and seawater were higher at inner basin than at the outer bay. Some molecular indices and multivariate statistical analysis were used to assess the origin of these sterols and sewage contamination in the study area. The sterol composition patterns in stream-water were mainly associated with contamination by sewage-derived organic matters and those of seawater were associated with the activities of marine-originated organisms. Sterol levels in the sediments were both from the sewage input through stream-water and the marine- originated organisms. This survey suggests that the main source/route of sewage-derived organic matters in Masan Bay is the input of stream-water into the bay.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.125-138
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• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate the benthic condition around Busan Port by analysing spatio-temporal distribution pattern of polychaete community and some benthic environmental factors. Field survey was seasonally carried out at 15 stations covering in and outside of Busan Port from February to December, 2007. Water temperature, salinity and the type of surface sediment showed little changes among the stations, but factors related to organic enrichment such as TOC, AVS, coprostanol showed an obvious contrast, especially between in and outside of Busan Port. A total of96 species occurred and mean density was 1,814 ind./$m^2$. Species richness was higher at outer port than inner port, but density was higher at inner port. Dominant species were Aphelochaeta monilaris, Magelona japonica, Pseudopolydora paucibranchiata, etc. and many of them were typical species of organically enriched area. From the multivariate analyses, the whole study area was composed of two distinct polychaete communities located at the inside and outside of the port, and seasonal changes didn't have any influential effects on the structure. Coprostanol and AVS, indicators of organically enriched condition, well explained the community structures of polychaete worms in the vicinity of Busan Port. In this context, the innermost area of North Harbor was in a highly enriched state.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2002

The ${\Delta}^5$ sterols were measured in be sediments of Jinhae Bay surrounded by industrial cities to assess the sewage-derived contamination. The total concentrations of total sterols ranged from 2.03 to 19.56 ${\mu}g/g$ dry wt. The principal sterol was cholesterol with a contribution of more than 50% to total sterols. Coprostanol, providing an indication of long-term sewage loads, was found in all sediment samples and the concentrations were 0.03-3.86 ${\mu}g/g$ dry wt, accounting for 1-26% to total sterols. The cluster analysis of sampling stations indicated that the sewage-derived contamination was localized in inner Masan Bay.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.437-444
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• 2013

Eight fecal sterols were analyzed in surface sediments collected from shellfish farming areas in Yeoja Bay and Gangjin Bay, Korea, to evaluate sewage-derived fecal pollution. The concentrations of coprostanol, a good marker of sewage-derived organic contamination, in sediments were in the range of 10-530 ng/g-dry in Yeoja Bay, and 10-190 ng/g-dry in Gangjin Bay. Coprostanol levels were markedly higher in the inner bay than in the outer bay. These levels were lower than those reported in urbanized bays in Korea, however, they were comparable to levels in other shellfish farming areas including Gamak Bay. A multivariate analysis of the ratios of other sterols suggested that the sterols originated from sewage and plankton/benthos. Sewage was the dominant source at stations located close to the river mouth and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outfalls, and plankton/benthos was the primary source in the outer bay. These results suggest that management of point sources, e.g., WWTP as well as non-point sources, e.g., riverine inputs is important for improving the water quality in Yeoja Bay and Gangjin Bay.