Contamination Sources of Several Potentially Hazardous Compounds Found at the Gap Stream and the Miho Stream, Two Major Tributaries of the Geum River

BACKGROUND: Water quality is of concern to water utility operators, public health officials, and populations using the water. If any contaminant is released from a point of entry, it could be spread rapidly throughout the water stream. So the identification of the location of the points of entry and its release history are critical informations to establish the management strategy.METHODS AND RESULTS: Aniline, nonylphenol, pentachlorophenol and formaldehyde in 39 surface water samples were analysed using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. Formaldehyde, aniline and nonylphenol were mainly detected in the near sites where industrial waste water and domestic sewage were discharged into stream. But pentachlorophenol was detected in the downstream samples where pulp manufacturing plants were operated.CONCLUSION: Results indicate that pentachlorophenol found in main stream of Guem river was mainly introduced from pulp manufacture industries. Otherwise, formaldehyde, aniline and nonylphenol were mainly contaminated from the industrial waste water and domestic sewage.