Pollutant found in Naktong River fish

Environmental hormones were detected in the deposits in the estuary of the Naktong River and in most fish and shellfish inhabiting there.

This was disclosed by Rep. Oh Se-Hoon of the opposition Grand National Party during a parliamentary inspection of the Office of Naktong River Environmental Management by the Environment-Labor Committee of the National Assembly at the Office of Pusan Labor Affairs on Tuesday.

¡°According to data from Pusan City Hall¡¯s investigation of pollution in the ecosystem in the mouth of the Naktong River over the past two years, a large quantity of phenyl polychloride, a sort of environmental hormone, is in the deposits, and a considerable number of fish and shellfish living there,¡± Rep. Oh said.

One trout, representative species living in the mouth of the Naktong River, was found to be containing 75.67 parts per billion of phenyl polychloride, and corbicula, known as ¡°chaechop¡± in Korea, contained 1.11ppb, the lawmaker said.

Benzene chloride and benzene ethylene chloride also were detected in trout, sole and thin-shelled surf clams, according to Oh.

Cho Yong-Hui silent@donga.com