Metals Pollution in Tropical Wetlands

Metals pollution has drawn worldwide attention due to increase of anthropogenic contaminants to the coastal area, especially wetlands area. Metals are indestructible and have toxic effects on living organisms. Sediment can act as an indicator of metals pollution due to the ability of the sediment that can trap metals through complex physical and chemical process. Therefore, they are always used as geo-marker for identifying the possible source of metals pollution. Besides that, wetlands such as mangrove have a diverse diversity of organisms that provide proteins to local communities such as clam, oyster, crab, and fishes. Therefore, it is important for us to know the levels of metals in the sediment and those organisms that we consume nowadays that live at the mangrove area. Such findings can provide important information on the seafood safety level and potential impact especially to humans via consumption according to the provisional tolerable weekly intake and daily intake

An assessment of metals (Pb and Cu) contamination in bottom sediment from South China sea coastal waters, Malaysia

Problem statement: The accumulation of metal contaminants in sediments can pose serious environmental problems to the surrounding areas. Trace metal contamination in sediment could affect the water quality and the bio-assimilation and bioaccumulation of metals in aquatic organisms, resulting in potential long-term implications on human health and ecosystem. Approach: About 154 bottom sediment samples were collected using Smith McIntyre in a transect pattern from South China Sea East Coast coastal water (Terengganu, Pahang and Johor coastal area). The study focused on the levels of Pb and Cu in order to assess the extent of environment pollution and to discuss the origin of these contaminants in the sediment. Results: Results showed that the average concentration of Pb and Cu was 33.70 μg g-1 dry weights and 22.40 μg g-1 dry weights, respectively. Pb and Cu have relatively lower Enrichment Factors (EF) value and geo-accumulation (Igeo) indices in study area and these analysis validated that elevated heavy metals concentration in most sample are not due to artificial contamination. Conclusion: Overall, geochemistry of the samples showed the effect of both natural and anthropogenic inputs to the catchment, however, natural processes were more dominant than anthropogenic inputs in concentrating metals. Results obtained would help to develop strategies for pollution control and sediment remediation of coastal waters in the South China Sea. © 2009 Science Publications

Sediment and Organisms as Marker for Metal Pollution

Pollution caused by metal elements has drawn increasing attention worldwide due to the increase of anthropogenic contaminants to the marine ecosystems. Pollution of the natural environment by metals is a serious problem because these elements are indestructible and most of them have toxic effects on living organisms, when they exceed a certain concentration. Sediments are widely used as geo-marker for monitoring and identifying the possible sources since sediment can act as sink for the pollutants. Most metals are bound in fine-grain fraction because of its high surface area-to-grain size ratio where they have a greater biological availability compared to those in larger fraction. Lying in the second trophic level in the aquatic ecosystem, shellfish species have long been known to accumulate both essential and non-essential metals. Many researchers have reported the potentiality of using mollusks, especially mussel and oyster species, as bioindicators or biomarkers for monitoring the metal contamination of the aquatic system

Recent sedimentation rate and sediment ages determination of Kemaman-Chukai mangrove forest, Terengganu, Malaysia

Two 20 cm sediment cores were collected with a D-section corer in the Kemaman-Chukai mangrove forest and analyzed for 210Pbex (excess 210Pb) in order to understand the sedimentation pattern. The activities of 210Pb along with the 208Po tracer were measured by Alpha Spectrometry on a silicon surface barrier detector connected to a multi channel analyzer. Sedimentation rates were determined applying 210Pb dating method and found to vary between 0.94-1.11 cm year-1. The highest accumulation rates were recorded near the river mouth and the lowest rates at the downstream. Assuming that the sedimentation rate values are accurate, this implies that the sediments in the upper 100 cm at Kemaman-Chukai mangrove forest were deposited during the past 90 years ago

Marine water quality index trend from eight-year study of Klang Estuary

In the context of marine water quality monitoring, detailed information concerning the marine water quality index is importance. The paper presents the analysis of 8-year period trend (2010-2017) marine water quality index and the other marine water quality parameters fluctuations in the Klang estuary, which is have the famous Port Klang, the one of the largest and busiest ports in peninsular Malaysia. The 2010–2017 data employed in this study entailed 12 marine water quality parameters. In order to investigate the trend analysis, the nonparametric Mann-Kendall statistical test has been used. The result shows the upward trends for MWQI, Salinity, COND, TEMP, DO and O&G and downward trends for pH, TUR, TSS, coliform, PO4, NH3N and NO3. in 8-year period in Klang estuary. The results indicated Klang Estuary has experienced a mild pollution trend due to anthropogenic influence from domestic activities in the vicinity of the estuary

Limiting factors on the global distribution of horseshoe crabs

There are at least four large-scale, global, environmental parameters that, spatially and temporally, set limits on the distribution of horseshoe crabs. Of these, continental geomorphology and temperature regimes are two major constraints on the wide spread distribution of horseshoe crabs. Basically, the continental shelves define the areas available to horseshoe crabs while low temperatures limit their northern most occurrences. Tidal types and benthic currents also play a role in the distribution of horseshoe crabs

Concentration of Zn, Cu and Pb in some selected marine fishes of the Pahang coastal waters, Malaysia

Problem statement: Heavy metals constitute one of the most hazardous substances that could be accumulated in biota. Fish populations exploited by man often live in coastal area environments that contain high levels of heavy metals, coming from human activities such as industrial and agricultural wastes. A problem to deal when using fishes as biomonitors of heavy metals is the relationship existing between metal concentration and several intrinsic factors of the fish such as organism size, genetic composition and age of fish. Approach: Concentration of Zn, Cu and Pb were determined in eight commercially valuable fish species, Selaroides leptolepis, Euthynnus affinis, Parastromateus niger, Lutjanius malabaricus, Epinephelus sexfasciatus, Rastrelliger kanagurta, Nemipterus japonicus and Megalaspis cordyla from Pahang coastal water. The concentration was measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The study focuses on the level of Zn, Cu and Pb in order to assess the environmental pollution by using fishes as an indicator. Results: Concentrations of the heavy metals in examined fish species ranged as follow: Zn 19.27 µg g-1 dry weight; Cu 2.88 µg g-1 dry weight and Pb 0.26 µg g-1 dry weight, respectively. The concentrations of Zn, Cu and Pb were found to follow the order: stomach > muscle > gills. Significant correlations were found between fish weight and heavy metals concentration in the fish organs. Conclusion: The estimated values of all metals in muscles of fish in this study were below the established values. Therefore, it can be concluded that the fish from Pahang coastal water are comparatively clean and do not constitute a risk for human health

The determination of sediment acceration rate using 210Pb in Johore Coastal Water, Malaysia

Ocean sediments give information on the paleoclimatic evolution in the geological past which gives detailed information on both the age of the sediments and both paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic conditions during sedimentation. One possible way to date sediments is with 210Pb method which can be used to date sediments up to 100 years. In this study, two core samples labelled as JB15 and JB17 were collected using pledging corer, analysed and measured for the activity of 209Po and 210Po using the alpha spectrometer. Applying the methods, average sedimentation rates for JB15 and JB17 were calculated as 0.38 cmyr-1 and 0.43 cmyr-1, respectively. Assuming that the sedimentation rate values are accurate, this might imply that the sediments at the depth of 30 cm were deposited 70 years ago

Macrobenthic community at nesting grounds of horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus gigas and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) at Pahang Coast, Malaysia

Macrobenthos consists of the organisms that live at the bottom of the water column and are visible to the naked eye (usually >0.5mm in size) 2.About 80% of the benthic organisms are Epifauna that are living on or are attached to the surface of rocky areas or firm sediments play an important role in ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling, pollutant metabolism, dispersion and burial, and in secondary production 3.Macro invertebrate species offers a spectrum of responses to environmental stresses and a broad range of responses to different pollutants 4.The food preferences of horseshoe crabs are well studied from the wild environment while the similar studies are still scanty along their nesting groun