Siong-Fong, Sim and Mugilan, Rajendran and Lee, Nyanti and Teck-Yee, Ling and Jongkar, Grinang and Jing-Jing, Liew (2017) Assessment of Trace Metals in Water and Sediment in a Tropical River Potentially Affected by Land Use Activities in Northern Sarawak, Malaysia. International Journal of Environmental Research, 11 (2). pp. 99-110. ISSN 2008-2304
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This paper reports the trace metals in water and sediment of the Baram river in Northern Sarawak, Malaysia, a tropical river that is subjected to increasing land use activities, particularly logging. Water and sediment samples were collected from a total of 32 stations along the main and tributaries of the Baram river in triplicates. Water samples were digested based on the open acid digestion method whilst sediment was microwave digested. The samples were analysed with microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometer for arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn). Mercury (Hg) was analysed using the flow injection system. The background values of metals in water were determined based on 95th percentile of unaffected samples. For sediment, the baseline values were derived from the cumulative distribution curves with kneedle algorithm incorporated to improve the identification of background thresholds for assessment of contamination. The contamination factors suggest enrichment of Al, Fe, Mn, particularly at stations downstream where substantial development of oil palm plantations and land clearing activities were found. Significant correlations between Al, Fe and Mn in water suggest similar origin, possibly from surface runoff as these elements are prominently found in sediment. This study reveals that logging activities adjacent to the Baram river has caused accelerated surface runoff affecting the balance of Al, Fe and Mn in the environment.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Trace metals, The Baram river, Geochemical baseline, Cumulative distribution frequency, Kneedle algorithm, 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: | 19 Jun 2017 08:04 |
| Last Modified: | 22 Aug 2017 01:12 |
| URI: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/16717 |
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