Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 23 No 6 (2019): 1120 - 1132

DISTRIBUTION AND SOURCEs OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN COASTAL SURFACE SEDIMENTS OFF TERENGGANU

(Taburan dan Sumber Hidrokarbon Polisiklik Aromatik dalam Sedimen Permukaan Pesisir Pantai Terengganu)

Mohd Mursyid Mohd Sanip¹, Muhammad Fais Fadzil¹, Suhaimi Suratman¹, Shahirah Rozmi², Norhayati Mohd Tahir²*

¹Institute of Oceanography and Environment

²Faculty of Science and Marine Environment

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: hayati@umt.edu.my

Received: 30 October 2018; Accepted: 26 September 2019

Abstract

PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) are a group of pollutants that are of concern in the marine environment. This study determines the distribution and sources of PAHs in surface sediments of the Terengganu coast. Sediments from sixteen stations along the Terengganu coast were collected using Smith Mclntyre grab. PAHs in the sediment samples were extracted using the ultra-sonication method, with dichloromethane (DCM): methanol (MeOH) (3:1 v/v) as solvent. After cleaning up using the saponification technique, the nonpolar component was fractionated using a silica column; and the PAH compounds were eluted using DCM: hexane (1:1 v/v) mixture. Nineteen PAH compounds were determined using a Shimadzu gas chromatography which was fitted with a mass spectrometer detector (Shimadzu GC-2010 Plus). The total concentration of PAHs detected ranged between 20-790 ng/g. Calculation of several molecular ratios for PAHs such as Anthracene/ (Anthracene+Phenanthrene) (Ant/(Ant+Phe)), Phenanthrene/Anthracene (Phe/Ant), Benzo(a)anthracene/Chrysene (BaA/Chr), (Benzo(a)anthracene/(Benzo(a)anthracene+Chrysene)) (BaA/(BaA+Chr)), and low molecular weight/high molecular weight of PAHs (LMW/HMW), yielded values ranging from 0.10–0.97, 0.03-9.40, 0.13-51.4, 0.12-0.98, and 0.03-1.26, respectively. These values suggested that the PAHs found in the surface sediments of the study area mainly originated from pyrolytic sources. The level of PAH contamination in the sediments was between low to moderate. Retene was also detected throughout the study area, indicating a minor contribution of biogenic PAHs to the sediment.

Keywords: surface sediments, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, east coast Peninsular Malaysia, pyrolytic sources, PAHs diagnostic ratios

Abstrak

PAH (Hidrokarbon Aromatik Polisiklik) adalah salah satu pencemaran yang menjadi kerisauan pada alam marin. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji taburan dan sumber PAH di sedimen persisir pantai Terengganu. Sampel sedimen dari 16 stesen sepanjang persisir pantai Terengganu telah diambil dengan menggunakan pencakup Smith Mclntyre. PAHs dari sedimen diekstrak melalui teknik ultra sonikasi, dengan mengunakan diklorometana (DCM): metanol (MeOH) (3:1 v/v) sebagai pelarut. Selepas pembersihan melalui teknik saponifikasi, komponen yang tak berkutub telah dipisahkan dengan mengunakan turus silika; PAH telah dialirkan keluar dengan pelarut DCM: heksana (1:1 v/v). Sebanyak 19 sebatian PAH telah ditentukan dengan menggunakan Shimadzu kromatografi gas disuaipadankan bersama pengesan spektrometer jisim (Shimadzu GC-2010 Plus). Jumlah kepekatan PAH yang dikesan adalah dalam lingkungan 20-790 ng/g. Beberapa nisbah molekul bagi PAH seperti Antracena/(Antracena+Fenantrena) (Ant/(Ant+Phe)), Fenantrena/Antracena (Phe/Ant), Benzo(a)antracena/Chrysene (BaA/Chr), (Benzo(a)antracena/(Benzo(a)antracena+Chrysene)) (BaA/(BaA+Chr)), dan berat molekul rendah/berat molekul tinggi bagi PAH (LMW/HMW) telah dikira. Nilai nisbah yang dikira masing-masing adalah 0.10–0.97, 0.03-9.40, 0.13-51.4, 0.12-0.98, dan 0.03-1.26 menyarankan PAH yang dijumpai pada sedimen permukaan di kawasan kajian adalah berasal dari sumber pirolitik. Kadar pencemaran PAH dalam sedimen permukaan adalah di antara rendah dan sederhana. Retene turut dikesan di seluruh kawasan kajian menunjukkan terdapat sumbangan kecil PAH biogenik kepada sedimen.

Kata kunci: sedimen permukaan, polisiklik aromatik hidrokarbon, pantai timur Semenanjung Malaysia, sumber pirolitik, nisbah diagnostik PAH

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