Sediment trace metal concentrations from the mudflats of Kuala Juru and Kuala Muda of Malaysia

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00196948· OSTI ID:6874825

Mat, I; Maah, M J ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

About 4-5000 ha of the mudflats along the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia are currently utilized for the semi-culture of the economically important marine bivalve, Anadara granosa. Therefore, information on the status of the trace metal pollution in the culture areas is of considerable value in the interest of public health when shellfish from this area are available for consumption. As an initial assessment of the degree of trace metal pollution in the sediments, an approach to analyze the non-residual (non-lattice held) trace metal concentrations should be of prime consideration rather than the total metal content in the sediments. This approach has the advantage that it is not necessary to restrict the comparison of the non- residual metal fraction to sediments having similar textural composition. For the above reasons, assorted acids are used to partially extract the non-residual trace metal fraction. The partial extraction of sediment-bound trace metals is not only providing information on the strength of association between metals and sediment compositions but also the potential availability of these metals to aquatic organisms. It has been shown that the bioavailability of trace metals to the aquatic biota is best related to the easily leachable, non-residual fraction rather than the total sediment bound trace metals. Therefore, it makes very little sense to consider the total metal content in the sediment to be bioavailable to cause damage to aquatic organisms or to the aquatic ecosystems. 12 refs., 1 fig., 3 tab.

• OSTI ID: 6874825
• Journal Information: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States), Vol. 53:5; ISSN 0007-4861
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
COASTAL REGIONS
CONTAMINATION
MALAYSIA
METALS
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ASIA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology