Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 23 No 3 (2019): 436 - 443

DOI: 10.17576/mjas-2019-2303-07

 

 

 

Nutrient Distribution in the Besut River Basin, Terengganu, Malaysia (SOUTH CHINA SEA)

 

(Taburan Nutrien di Lembangan Sungai Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia (Laut China Selatan))

 

Suhaimi Suratman^1,2*, Azyyati Abdul Aziz¹, Tan Hock Seng¹, Hee Yet Yin¹, Fatin Adlina Md Nasir¹, Dung Quang Le³, Norhayati Mohd Tahir¹

 

¹Institute of Oceanography and Environment

²Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

³PETRONAS Twin Towers,

Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author:  miman@umt.edu.my

 

 

Received: 19 August 2018; Accepted: 11 May 2019

 

 

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of nitrogen (N)- and phosphorus (P)-based nutrients in the Besut River basin, Malaysia (South China Sea). The mean concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, total dissolved N and total particulate N were 43 µg/L N, 195 µg/L N, 485 µg/L N, 431 µg/L N, respectively. In contrast to N, lower mean concentrations of P were recorded with values of 2.30 µg/L P (dissolved inorganic P), 4.84 µg/L P (total dissolved P) and 8.35 µg/L P (total particulate P). In general, higher concentrations of nutrients were recorded in the middle and lower reaches of the river basin due to human activities. Elevated levels of both forms of nutrients were present during the wet season due to terrestrial run-off to the water column. The molar ratio of dissolved inorganic N:P (nitrate + ammonia: inorganic P) was extremely high (72:1), much higher than the Redfield ratio (16:1), suggesting the nutrient-limiting factor for phytoplankton growth in this river basin was P. The results from this study can be used as a baseline comparison for future monitoring of this river basin.

 

Keywords:  surface water, nutrients, N:P ratio, Besut River basin

 

Abstrak

Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan taburan nutrien berasaskan nitrogen (N) dan fosforus (P) di lembangan Sungai Besut, Malaysia (Laut China Selatan). Purata kepekatan ammonia, nitrat, jumlah N terlarut dan jumlah N partikulat masing-masing adalah 43 µg/L N, 195 µg/L N, 485 µg/L N, 431 µg/L N. Jika dibandingkan dengan N, purata kepekatan P yang direkodkan adalah rendah dengan nilai 2.30 µg/L P (tak organik P terlarut), 4.84 µg/L P (jumlah terlarut P) and 8.35 µg/L P (jumlah partikulat P). Umumnya, kepekatan nutrien adalah tinggi di kawasan pertengahan dan hilir lembangan sungai yang disebabkan oleh aktiviti manusia. Aras kepekatan adalah bertambah untuk kedua-dua jenis nutrien di musim basah hasil daripada larut lesap dari daratan ke kolum air. Nisbah molar takorganik terlarut N:P (nitrat + ammonia: tak organik P) adalah sangat tinggi (72:1) berbanding nisbah Redfield (16:1) yang mencadangkan faktor penghad nutrien untuk pertumbuhan fitoplankton di sungai ini adalah P. Hasil daripada kajian ini boleh digunakan sebagai perbandingan dasar pemantauan seterusnya untuk lembangan sungai ini.

 

Kata kunci:  air permukaan, nutrien, nisbah N:P, lembangan Sungai Besut 

 

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