Occurrence, Bioaccumulation, and Prioritization of Display-Related Organic Compounds in Sediments and Freshwater Fish in a Major Display Manufacturing Region

As of 2024, South Korea accounts for approximately 33% of the global display market; however, the environmental occurrence, bioaccumulation, and ecological risks of organic compounds associated with the display industry remain poorly understood. This study investigated the occurrence of display-related organic compounds (DROCs) in sediments from Asan Bay and four adjacent artificial lakes, as well as in freshwater fish collected seasonally from Lake Asan, Korea, and identified priority pollutants. Target compounds included 15 liquid crystal monomers and one organic light-emitting material, quantified using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Mean DROC concentrations were 5.8 ng g –1 dry mass (dm) in artificial lakes and 4.7 ng g –1 dm in Asan Bay. Benzo[ b ]anthracene (BbA, 0.56 ng g –1 dm) exhibited the highest median concentration. Dilution factor analysis revealed that BbA and 4′-hexyloxy-4-biphenylcarbonitrile (6OCB) showed high mobility from freshwater to marine environments. Hazard quotient analysis identified 4,4′-bis(4-propylcyclohexyl)biphenyl (BPCHB) as the primary contributor to predicted ecological risk. DROC concentrations in fish declined seasonally from 860 ng g –1 lipid mass (lm) in April to 65 ng g –1 lm in October. Concentrations of all DROCs in fish decreased with increasing trophic position. Multicriteria decision analysis, based on the results of this study, identified BbA, BPCHB, and 6OCB as priority pollutants. These findings provide new insights into the environmental behavior of DROCs and inform their prioritization for environmental management in a global display manufacturing hotspot.