By: Ley Juen Looi, Ahmad Zaharin Aris, Fatimah Md. Yusoff, Noorain Mohd Isa and Hazzeman Haris

Article Prepared By: Farah Izana Abdullah

Extensive elemental pollution studies that cover a large geographical area in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia are scarce. Since sediment can accumulate trace elements in the environment, therefore determining the spatial distribution of trace elements in sediment is essential to provide basic information for the identification of hotspot polluted areas. Furthermore, in Malaysia, there is no national sediment quality standard to be followed, even though many studies indicated that the sediments in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia were contaminated by metals such as As, Pb, Cd, Hg, Cr, and Zn. Thus, study was conducted to determine the distribution of As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn in the surface sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and to assess the extent and magnitude of elemental pollution by applying sediment quality guidelines, the enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo). This study found that the elemental distribution in the sediment in descending order was Zn > Ba > Cr > Pb > Cu > As > Ni > Co > Se > Cd. All stations posed low ecological risk, except Merlimau, which had moderate ecological risk. This study explored the background levels of pollution, which are important for the establishment of regional sediment quality guidelines in order to control point and non-point sources of pollution.

Web: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-018-0149-1

Date of Input: 26/10/2021 | Updated: 26/10/2021 | m_fakhrulddin