Bacteriological quality evaluation of seawater and oysters from the Jaranman-Saryangdo area, a designated shellfish growing area in Korea: Impact of inland pollution sources

Bacteriological quality evaluation of seawater and oysters from the Hansan-Geojeman area in Korea, 2011–2013: impact of inland pollution sources

“…These results imply that many pollutants flow into the sea area from the pollution sources, however, they are diluted within the buffer zone between the coastline and the designated area, and the bacteria are also reduced due to dilution, decay, or removal in the sea area. Similarly, the previous studies addressed that the reductions in FC concentrations within coastal water from wastewater outfalls were attributed to dilution or overall removal (Azalea et al 2010; Mok et al 2016). Chigbu et al (2005) reported that FC dynamics in coastal waters depends on the amount of bacterial loading from streams and rivers, water mixing and dispersion in receiving waters, and bacterial losses due to death and sedimentation.…”

Bacterial quality evaluation on the shellfish-producing area along the south coast of Korea and suitability for the consumption of shellfish products therein

“…The pollution sources were evaluated using the method suggested by the US FDA (Mok et al 2016a;Jung et al 2017). The flow rates of the discharged water were calculated with the velocity-area method based on values measured using a hydrometer (Flo-Mate 2000, Marsh McBirney, Loveland, CO, USA).…”

“…A variety of shellfish, such as oyster, mussel, and clam, are cultured extensively along the coastal regions of Korea (Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) 2015b; Mok et al 2015a). Especially, seven shellfish-producing areas were designated along the Korean coast based on the regulation standard of fecal coliform (MOF 2015b;Mok et al 2016a). The Changseon area is one of shellfish-producing areas designated by the Korean government.…”

“…A large amount of inland wastewater is discharged into near-shore waters, delivering fecal-associated microorganisms such as fecal coliforms, Salmonella spp., and viruses (Biancani et al 2012;Mok et al 2016a;Park et al 2016). Bivalves are filter-feeding animals that concentrate fecal-associated pathogenic bacteria from the surrounding water in their body, so that consumption of bivalves from polluted waters presents a risk to human health (Azalea et al 2010;Mok et al 2016b;Park et al 2016).…”

“…Each year, consumption of contaminated seafood including bivalves is implicated in food-poisoning outbreaks caused by pathogenic microorganisms in Korea (Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (KMFDS) 2016). Fecal coliforms, including Escherichia coli, are useful as fecal contamination indicators to assess the bacterial quality of bivalve-producing area and the bivalves therein (Mok et al 2016a;Kang et al 2017;Kim et al 2017). To protect public health, various countries, including Korea, the United States (US), EU, and New Zealand, have established regulatory criteria and monitoring programs using fecal indicators for bivalves and their growing areas (European Commission (EC) 2005; New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) 2006; US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) 2015; MOF 2015a; KMFDS 2016).…”