IMRAN SHAFIQUE (Kyungpook National University)

Sunghwan Kim (Kyungpook National University)

IMRAN SHAFIQUE (Kyungpook National University)

Sunghwan Kim (Kyungpook National University)

Ship-repair activities can release complex mixtures of antifouling biocides and coating-associated chemicals; however, the receiving-sediment signature of these emissions remains poorly characterized. Surface sediments were collected from seven stations in Busan Port, Republic of Korea, including BN-D7 at the boundary of an active ship-repair berth and six operational-harbor comparison stations. Samples were screened using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with cyclic ion-mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC–cIM–QTOF–MS/MS) under positive and negative electrospray ionization. Suspect and non-target features were evaluated using principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering, and nine compounds confirmed with authentic standards were quantified by targeted LC-MRM. BN-D7 was compositionally distinct from the comparison stations in both ionization modes and exhibited a selective, multiclass chemical signature. Relative to the mean of the six comparison stations, enrichment factors at BN-D7 were 96.29 for tralopyril, 48.22 for Tinuvin 292, 24.10 for diuron, 16.14 for 1,2-diphenylethanone, and 8.46 for BADGE·2H₂O. Their respective concentrations were 934.30, 462.31, 1066.06, 643.40, and 1885.04 ng g⁻¹ dry weight. Conversely, tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate, N,N-dimethyldodecylamine N-oxide, and tert-butylphenyl glycidyl ether were not enriched at BN-D7, demonstrating that repair-berth proximity did not produce a uniform increase across all contaminants. These findings reveal a selective, source-proximal sediment fingerprint consistent with ship-maintenance inputs and identify tralopyril, tinuvin 292, diuron, and BADGE·2H₂O as candidate markers for targeted monitoring of ship-repair ports.​