Professor Lee Kitack of the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering explicated that pollutants in the atmosphere can change the ocean’s chemical composition and ecosystem. This research was first opened to the public by Science Express, and it will be published in Science which is a prestigious academic journal in October.

This research was performed by Prof. Lee Kitack, Dr. Kim Tae-wook and joint research group. This group consisted of members from Seoul National University, Pennsylvania State University and National Fisheries Research and Development Institute. Also, this joint research is supported by the ministry of land, transport and maritime affairs.

The joint research team analyzed oceanographic data which has been gathered for 30 years in the East Sea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea. According to this data, they found that nitrate concentration has increased. It means the atmosphere’s nitrate went into the ocean. So, this nitrate has an impact on the ecosystem of the ocean by the rapid increase of plankton.