Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 23 No 6 (2019): 1077 - 1089

DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOR OF NUTRIENTS IN BESUT RIVER ESTUARY, TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA

(Taburan dan Perlakuan Nutrien di Muara Sungai Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia)

Fatin Adlina Md Nasir¹, Suhaimi Suratman¹*, Dung Quang Le²

¹Institute of Oceanography and Environment,

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu,

21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.

²Health and Safety, Group Health, Safety, Security and Environment,

Tower 1, PETRONAS Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur City Centre,

50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author: miman@umt.edu.my

Received: 30 October 2018; Accepted: 26 September 2019

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the distribution and behaviour of nitrogen-, phosphorus- and silicon- based nutrients, chlorophyll-a and physical parameters in the Besut River estuary area (southern water of South China Sea). Surface water samples at a depth of 1 meter were collected using a Van Dorn sampler along the salinity gradient. All nutrients behaved in a non-conservative manner in the study area. The concentrations of nitrite, ammonia, dissolved inorganic phosphate, total dissolved phosphate, silicate, total dissolved silicate and total particulate silicate showed positive deviation from the theoretical dilution line. Their concentrations ranged from 3.02 µM - 12.75 µM (mean 0.137 ± 0.137 µM), 0.45 µM - 5.21 µM (mean 2.80 ± 1.40 µM), 0.02 µM - 0.75 µM (mean 0.32 ± 0.17 µM), 0.05 µM - 0.98 µM (mean 0.54 ± 0.23 µM), 0.03 µM - 10.32 µM (mean 3.61 ± 2.10 µM), 0.01 µM - 5.27 µM (mean 2.66 ± 1.01 µM) and 0 µM - 6.30 µM (mean 2.90 ± 1.29 µM), respectively. In contrast, the concentrations of nitrate, total dissolved nitrogen and total particulate phosphate were found to be in the negative deviation region, with concentrations ranging from 3.02 µM to 12.75 µM (mean 6.65 ± 1.27 µM), 4.54 µM to 15.83 µM (mean 9.28 ± 2.16 µM) and 0.06 µM to 2.26 µM (mean 0.65 ± 0.32 µM), respectively. Based on the Redfield molar ratio, dissolved inorganic phosphate was the nutrient limiting factor for phytoplankton growth in this estuary.

Keywords: nutrients, surface water, distribution, behaviour, Besut River estuary

Abstrak

Tujuan kajian ini dijalankan adalah untuk menentukan taburan dan perlakuan sebatian berasaskan nitrogen, fosforus dan silikon, klorofil-a dan parameter fizikal di muara Sungai Besut (bahagian selatan Laut China Selatan). Sampel air telah diambil dengan menggunakan pensampel Van Dorn pada kedalaman 1 meter di bawah permukaan air pada saliniti yang berbeza. Kesemua sebatian nutrien berkelakuan tak konservatif di muara sungai ini. Kepekatan nitrit, ammonia, fosfat takorganik terlarut, jumlah terlarut fosfat, silikat dan jumlah terlarut silikat menunjukkan sisihan positif daripada garisan pencairan teori di mana kepekatan masing-masing berada berjulat dari 3.02 µM - 12.75 µM (purata 0.137 ± 0.137 µM), 0.45 µM - 5.21 µM (purata 2.80 ± 1.40 µM), 0.02 µM - 0.75 µM (purata 0.32 ± 0.17 µM), 0.05 µM - 0.98 µM (purata 0.54 ± 0.23 µM), 0.03 µM - 10.32 µM (purata 3.71 ± 2.13 µM), 0.01 µM - 5.27 µM (purata 2.66 ± 1.01 µM) dan 0 µM - 6.30 µM (purata 2.90 ± 1.29 µM). Walau bagaimanapun, nitrat, jumlah nitrogen terlarut, jumlah partikulat nitrogen dan jumlah partikulat fosfat masing-masing berada dalam kawasan sisihan negatif dengan kepekatan di antara 3.02 µM hingga 12.75 µM (purata 6.65 ± 1.27 µM), 4.54 µM hingga 15.83 µM (purata 9.28 ± 2.16 µM) dan 0.06 µM hingga 2.26 µM (purata 0.65 ± 0.32 µM). Berdasarkan nisbah molar Redfield, fosfat takorganik terlarut, adalah nutrien penghad untuk pertumbuhan fitoplankton di muara ini.

Kata kunci: nutrien, air permukaan, taburan, perlakuan, muara Sungai Besut

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