The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia

The west coast of Peninsular Malaysia is exposed to several sources of pollutants, predominantly from human activities. In this study heavy metal contamination was studied in the sediments collected from sampling stations all along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The results show that in gene...

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Main Authors: Ismail, Ahmad, Badri, M.A., Ramlan, Mohd Noor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 1993
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111863/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111863/3/111863.pdf
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author Ismail, Ahmad
Badri, M.A.
Ramlan, Mohd Noor
author_facet Ismail, Ahmad
Badri, M.A.
Ramlan, Mohd Noor
author_sort Ismail, Ahmad
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The west coast of Peninsular Malaysia is exposed to several sources of pollutants, predominantly from human activities. In this study heavy metal contamination was studied in the sediments collected from sampling stations all along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The results show that in general the background levels of heavy metals in the sediments in most of the stations are still within the normal levels found elsewhere. Over 70% of Fe analysed ranges between 25000–50000 μg/g, over 50% of Mn analysed ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 μg/g. The bulk of Zn (60%) analysed ranges from 600 to 900 μg/g and over 70% of Pb analysed in sediments falls within 10–30 μg/g. Cu analysed shows over 70% below 5 μg/g, while for Cd over 80% is below 1 μg/g. The usefulness of the background concentrations is justified in view of the expected increases in industrial, domestic and municipal effluents discharged as the country makes headway into diversified land-based developments, especially in the industrial sector. This is especially so along the western coasts of Peninsular Malaysia, where over 70% of the populations live. The anthropogenic input of heavy metals into the coastal environment of Peninsular Malaysia had not been adequately studied; however, there are valid reasons to suspect increasing amounts of heavy metals in the coastals sediments.
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spelling upm-1118632025-03-12T07:07:20Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111863/ The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia Ismail, Ahmad Badri, M.A. Ramlan, Mohd Noor The west coast of Peninsular Malaysia is exposed to several sources of pollutants, predominantly from human activities. In this study heavy metal contamination was studied in the sediments collected from sampling stations all along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The results show that in general the background levels of heavy metals in the sediments in most of the stations are still within the normal levels found elsewhere. Over 70% of Fe analysed ranges between 25000–50000 μg/g, over 50% of Mn analysed ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 μg/g. The bulk of Zn (60%) analysed ranges from 600 to 900 μg/g and over 70% of Pb analysed in sediments falls within 10–30 μg/g. Cu analysed shows over 70% below 5 μg/g, while for Cd over 80% is below 1 μg/g. The usefulness of the background concentrations is justified in view of the expected increases in industrial, domestic and municipal effluents discharged as the country makes headway into diversified land-based developments, especially in the industrial sector. This is especially so along the western coasts of Peninsular Malaysia, where over 70% of the populations live. The anthropogenic input of heavy metals into the coastal environment of Peninsular Malaysia had not been adequately studied; however, there are valid reasons to suspect increasing amounts of heavy metals in the coastals sediments. Elsevier 1993 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111863/3/111863.pdf Ismail, Ahmad and Badri, M.A. and Ramlan, Mohd Noor (1993) The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Science of The Total Environment, 134 (suppl.1). pp. 315-323. ISSN 0048-9697; eISSN: 1879-1026 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048969705800324 10.1016/s0048-9697(05)80032-4
spellingShingle Ismail, Ahmad
Badri, M.A.
Ramlan, Mohd Noor
The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia
title The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia
title_full The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia
title_fullStr The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia
title_short The background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia
title_sort background levels of heavy metal concentration in sediments of the west coast of peninsular malaysia
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111863/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111863/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111863/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/111863/3/111863.pdf