Distribution of Major and Trace Elements in a Tropical Hydroelectric Reservoir in Sarawak, Malaysia

Siong-Fong, Sim and Teck-Yee, Ling and Lee, Nyanti and Zhuan, Terri Ean Lee and Nurul Aida Lu, Mohd Irwan Lu and Tomy, Bakeh (2014) Distribution of Major and Trace Elements in a Tropical Hydroelectric Reservoir in Sarawak, Malaysia. International Scholarly Research Notices. ISSN 2356-7872

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/870187

Abstract

This paper reports the metals content in water, sediment, macroalgae, aquatic plant, and fish of Batang Ai Hydroelectric Reservoir in Sarawak,Malaysia.The samples were acid digested and subjected to atomic absorption spectrometry analysis for Na, K,Mn, Cr, Ni, Zn, Mg, Fe, Sn, Al, Ca, As, Se, and Hg.The total Hg content was analysed on the mercury analyser. Results showed that metals in water, sediment, macroalgae, aquatic plant, and fish are distinguishable, with sediment and biota samples more susceptible to metal accumulation. The distributions of heavy metals in water specifically Se, Sn, and As could have associated with the input of fish feed, boating, and construction activities.The accumulation of heavy metals in sediment, macroalgae, and aquatic plant on the other hand might be largely influenced by the redox conditions in the aquatic environment. According to the contamination factor and the geoaccumulation index, sediment in Batang Ai Reservoir possesses low risk of contamination. The average metal contents in sediment and river water are consistently lower than the literature values reported and well below the limit of various guidelines. For fishes, trace element Hg was detected; however, the concentration was below the permissible level suggested by the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Tropical Hydroelectric Reservoir, Hydroelectric development, research, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, unimas, university, universiti, Borneo, Malaysia, Sarawak, Kuching, Samarahan, ipta, education
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Divisions: Academic Faculties, Institutes and Centres > Faculty of Resource Science and Technology
Faculties, Institutes, Centres > Faculty of Resource Science and Technology
Depositing User: Karen Kornalius
Date Deposited: 05 Jul 2017 04:09
Last Modified: 05 Jul 2017 04:09
URI: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/16815

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