Heavy metal distribution of the South China Sea continental shelf sediments off Sabah and Sarawak coastlines
Keywords:
normalization, Rajang River, anthropogenic, Atomic Absorption SpectrophotometerAbstract
Fifty-one surface sediment samples from offshore Sabah and Sarawak were collected from the two cruises of the Marine Vessel Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (MV SEAFDEC) before and after the northeast monsoon. The sediments were analyzed for heavy metal contents to determine the effects of monsoon seasons and spatial patterns of distribution. The contents of heavy metals were measured from the 63 μm fraction of the dried sediments and analyzed using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer.
The heavy metals studied were Al, Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb and Mn. Results showed that some metals were in concentrations lower than the average Earth!s crust. The lower or higher-than-normal values of some of the heavy metals studied can be attributed to the intensive weathering in the study area, mineralogy, effect of the monsoon and the Rajang River. Furthermore, normalization was done using Al as normalizer to determine whether the high levels of Pb were due to anthropogenic input or not. It was found that the values were higher but not necessarily an indication of inputs from human activities as high levels were also found far from the coast. This may be attributed to input of particulates from the Rajang River and possibly movement of bottom sediments.
References
Bolt, G. H. and Bruggenwert, M. G. M. 1976. Soil Chemistry, Basic Elements, Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Calvert, S. E., Pedersen, T. F. and Thunell, R. C. 1993. Geochemistry of the Surface Sediments of the Sulu and South China Seas. Marine Geology, 114: 207–231.
Camerlengo, A. L. and Nasir, M. S. 1997. Precipitation-Evaporation Difference in Peninsular Malaysia Accepted for Publication to ASEAN Journal of Science and Technology for Development
Hanson, P. J., Wells, J. A. and Newman, M. W. Preliminary Results of the 1984-85 National Benthic Surveilance Project: Southeast Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Coasts. IEEE Oceans 1986 Conference Proceedings. Washington, D.C..
Hoshika, A. and Shiozawa, T. 1986. Heavy Metal and Accumulation Rates of Sediments in Osaka Bay, The Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Journal of the Oceagnographical Society of Japan, 41: 39–52.
Katz, S. A. and Jenniss, A. W. 1983. Regulatory Compliance Monitoring by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Fl: Verlag Chemie International Inc..
Khalik, W., Zaharudin, A., Noor Azhar, A. M., Rosnan, S. Y. and Roy, C. 1997. Geochemistry of Sediments in Johor Straits Between Malaysia and Singapore. Continental Shelf Research, 10: 1207–1228.
Loring, D. H. 1991. Normalization of Heavy-Metals Data from Estuarine and Coastal Sediments. ICESJ Mar. Science, 48: 101–115.
Nasir, M. S. and Camerlengo, A. L. 1997. Response of the Ocean Mixed Layer, Off the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, During the Northeast and Southwest Monsoons. Geoacta, 22: 134–143.
Noor Azhar, M. S., Mohamed, C. A. R. and Yaacob, R. Heavy Metals in Sediments of the South China Sea. Proc. 12th annual Seminar of the Malaysian Soc. of Marine Science. 1989 November. Kuala Lumpur, , Malaysia: University of Malaya.
Sadiq, M. 1992. Toxic Metal Chemicals in Marine Environments, New York, New York: Marcel Dekker Inc..
Wilaiwan, U., Hungspreugs, M., Sarawut, R. and Snidvongs, A. 1997. Biogeochemical Implications of Dissolved Trace Metal Concentrations and Distribution in the South China Sea, Thailand: Dept. of Marine Sci. Chulalongkorn Univ. Bangkok.
Wood, A. K., Ahmad, Z., Shazili, N. A. M., Yaakob, R. and Carpenter, R. 1997. Johore Straits between Malaysia and Singapore. Continental Shelf Research, 17: 1207–1228.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Manuscripts must be original. They must not be published or be under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part. It is required that the lead author of accepted papers complete and sign the MSU Press AEHM Author Publishing Agreement and provide it to the publisher upon acceptance.
