Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, Malaysia
Tourism-related activities such as the heavy use of boats for transportation are a significant source of petroleum hydrocarbons that may harm the ecosystem of Langkawi Island. The contamination and toxicity levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in the sediments of Langkawi were evaluated u...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2013-01-01
|
| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/858309 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832552124685221888 |
|---|---|
| author | Essam Nasher Lee Yook Heng Zuriati Zakaria Salmijah Surif |
| author_facet | Essam Nasher Lee Yook Heng Zuriati Zakaria Salmijah Surif |
| author_sort | Essam Nasher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tourism-related activities such as the heavy use of boats for transportation are a significant source of petroleum hydrocarbons that may harm the ecosystem of Langkawi Island. The contamination and toxicity levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in the sediments of Langkawi were evaluated using sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and toxic equivalent factors. Ten samples were collected from jetties and fish farms around the island in December 2010. A gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) was used to analyse the 18 PAHs. The concentration of total PAHs was found to range from 869 ± 00 to 1637 ± 20 ng g−1 with a mean concentration of 1167.00 ± 24 ng g−1, lower than the SQG effects range-low (3442 ng g−1). The results indicated that PAHs may not cause acute biological damage. Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis suggested that the PAHs were likely to originate from pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. The toxic equivalent concentrations of the PAHs ranged from 76.3 to 177 ng TEQ/g d.w., which is lower compared to similar studies. The results of mean effects range-median quotient of the PAHs were lower than 0.1, which indicate an 11% probability of toxicity effect. Hence, the sampling sites were determined to be the low-priority sites. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d893c75585a54755a20ecdf005947a72 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-d893c75585a54755a20ecdf005947a722025-02-03T05:59:31ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2013-01-01201310.1155/2013/858309858309Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, MalaysiaEssam Nasher0Lee Yook Heng1Zuriati Zakaria2Salmijah Surif3Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, MalaysiaFaculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, MalaysiaEnvironment Engineering and Green Technology, Malaysia Japan International Institute of Technology, University Technologi Malaysia, 54100 Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, MalaysiaFaculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, MalaysiaTourism-related activities such as the heavy use of boats for transportation are a significant source of petroleum hydrocarbons that may harm the ecosystem of Langkawi Island. The contamination and toxicity levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in the sediments of Langkawi were evaluated using sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and toxic equivalent factors. Ten samples were collected from jetties and fish farms around the island in December 2010. A gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) was used to analyse the 18 PAHs. The concentration of total PAHs was found to range from 869 ± 00 to 1637 ± 20 ng g−1 with a mean concentration of 1167.00 ± 24 ng g−1, lower than the SQG effects range-low (3442 ng g−1). The results indicated that PAHs may not cause acute biological damage. Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis suggested that the PAHs were likely to originate from pyrogenic and petrogenic sources. The toxic equivalent concentrations of the PAHs ranged from 76.3 to 177 ng TEQ/g d.w., which is lower compared to similar studies. The results of mean effects range-median quotient of the PAHs were lower than 0.1, which indicate an 11% probability of toxicity effect. Hence, the sampling sites were determined to be the low-priority sites.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/858309 |
| spellingShingle | Essam Nasher Lee Yook Heng Zuriati Zakaria Salmijah Surif Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, Malaysia The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, Malaysia |
| title_full | Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, Malaysia |
| title_short | Assessing the Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments at Langkawi Island, Malaysia |
| title_sort | assessing the ecological risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments at langkawi island malaysia |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/858309 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT essamnasher assessingtheecologicalriskofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonsinsedimentsatlangkawiislandmalaysia AT leeyookheng assessingtheecologicalriskofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonsinsedimentsatlangkawiislandmalaysia AT zuriatizakaria assessingtheecologicalriskofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonsinsedimentsatlangkawiislandmalaysia AT salmijahsurif assessingtheecologicalriskofpolycyclicaromatichydrocarbonsinsedimentsatlangkawiislandmalaysia |