The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 11 No 1 (2007): 70 – 75

 

 

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON (PAH) CONTAMINATION IN THE SEDIMENTS OF EAST COAST PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

 

Md Suhaimi Elias, Ab. Khalik Wood, Zaleha Hashim, Wee Boon Siong, Mohd Suhaimi Hamzah, Shamsiah

Abd. Rahman, Nazaratul Ashifa Abdullah Salim and Ariffin Talib

 

Analytical Chemistry Application Laboratory, Industrial Technology Division,

Malaysia Institute For Nuclear TechnologyResearch (MINT),

Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor

 

Abstract

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pollutants of concern due to their persistent in the marine ecosystem, thus its can cause long-term adverse effect to the marine life. In this study the concentrations of PAHs in east coast Peninsular Malaysia sediments were determined. About ten stations along the east coast of the coastal area  were selected to collect sediment samples using grab sampler. The PAHs from the sediment samples were soxhlet extracted using mixture of hexane and dichloromethane (DCM). Fractionation was done using the silica-alumina column. About 17 compounds of the PAHs were determined using the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GCMS model QP5050A). The ∑ PAHs was found in range between 0.26µg/g to 0.59µg/g dry weight.  The data from the study signified that the main source of PAHs in the sediment of the east coast peninsular Malaysia is originated from the pyrolytic source.

 

Keywords: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), sediment, east coast Peninsular Malaysia

 

References

1.         Youngblood, W.W., Blumer, M., 1975. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the environment: homologous series in soils and recent marine sediments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 39, 1303-314.

2.         Lake, J.L., Norwood, C., Dimock, C., Bowen, R., 1979. Origins of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons  in estuarine sediments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 43, 1847-1854.

3.         Venkatesan, M.I., Kaplan, I.R., 1982. Distribution and transport of hydrocarbons in surface sediments of the Alaskan Outer Continental Shelf. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 46, 2135-2149.

4.         Hoffman,  E.J.,  Mills,  G.L.,  Latimer,  J.S.,  Quinn,  J.G.,  1984.  Urban  runoff  as  a  source  of  polycyclic  aromatic hydrocarbons to coastal waters. Environmental Science and Technology 18, 580- 87.

5.         Pruell, R.J., Quinn, J.G., 1985. Geochemistry  of organic contaminants in Narragansett Bay  sediments.  Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 21, 295-312.

6.         Tolosa, I., Stephen de M., Mohammad R. S., Jean-Pierre.V., Jean. B and Chantal. C., 2003. Aliphatic  and aromatic hydrocarbon in coastal Caspian Sea sediments. Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 48, Issues 1-2, January 2004, Pages 44-60

7.         Yunker, M.B., Macdonald, R.W., Vingarzan, R., Mitchell, R.H., Goyette, D.S., Stephanie, 2002. PAHs in the Fraser River basin: a critical appraisal of PAH ratios as indicators of PAH source and composition. Organic Geochemistry 33, 489–515.

8.         Eganhouse,  R.P.,  Gossett,  R.W.,  1991.  Historical  deposition  and  biogeochemical  fate  of   polycyclic  aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments near a major submarine wastewater outfall in Southern California. In: Baker, R.A. (Ed.), Organic Substances and Sediments in Water: Processes and Analytical. Lewis Publishers, Vol. 2. 191–220.

9.         Lipiatou, E., Saliot, A., 1991. Hydrocarbon contamination of The Rhone Delta and Western  Mediterranean. Marine Pollution Bulletin 22, 297– 304.

10.      Canton, L., Grimalt, J.O., 1992. Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric characterization of  polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures in polluted coastal sediments. Journal of Chromatography 607, 279– 286.

11.      Garrigues, P., Budzinski, H., Manitz, M.P., Wise, S.A., 1995. Pyrolytic and petrogenic inputs in  recent sediments: a definitive signature through phenanthrene and chrysene compounds distribution.   Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds 7, 275–284.

12.      Zeng, E.Y., Vista, C.L., 1997. Organic pollutants in the coastal environment off San Diego,  California. 1. Source identification and assessment by compositional indices of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 16, 179–188.

13.      Wang,  Z.,  Fingas,  M.,  Shu,  Y.Y.,  Sigouin,  L.,  Landriault,  P.L.,  Turpin,  R.P.C.,  Mullin,  J.,  1999.  Quantitative characterization of PAHs in burn residue and soot samples and differentiation of  pyrogenic  PAH form petrogenic PAHs. The 1994 mobile burn study. Environmental Science and Technology 33, 3100–3109.

14.      Zakaria, M.P., Takada, H., Tsutsumi, S., Ohno, K., Yamada, J., Kouno, E., Kumata, H., 2002.    Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in rivers and estuaries in Malaysia: a widespread input of petrogenic PAHs. Environmental Science and Technology 36, 1907– 1918.

15.      Prahl, F.G., Carpenter, R., 1983. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-phase associations in  Washington coastal sediments. Geochimica et Gosmochimica Acta 47, 1013– 1023.

16.      Sicre, M. A., Marty, J. C.,Saliot, A., Aparicio, A., Grimalt, J., Al-Baiges, J., 1987 Aliphatic and aromatic in different sized aerosols over the Mediterranean Sea: occurrence and origin. Atmospheric Environment 21, 2247 – 2259.

17.      Gogou,  A.,  Stratigakis,  N.,  Kanakidou,  M.,  Stephanou,  E.,  1996  Organic  aerosols  in  Eastern  Mediterranean: components source reconciliation by using markers and atmospheric back trajectories. Organic geochemistry 25, 36-79 [18] Unlu, S., and Alpar, B., 2006 Distribution and Sources of Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments of Gemlik Bay (Marmara Sea, Turkey), Chemosphere 64, 764-777.