Surfactants in the sea-surface microlayer and sub-surface water at estuarine locations: Their concentration, distribution, enrichment, and relation to physicochemical characteristics

Yun-Jie Huang; Peter Brimblecombe; Chon-Lin Lee; Mohd Talib Latif

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.06.031

Surfactants in the sea-surface microlayer and sub-surface water at estuarine locations: Their concentration, distribution, enrichment, and relation to physicochemical characteristics

Mar Pollut Bull. 2015 Aug 15;97(1-2):78-84. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.06.031. Epub 2015 Jun 17.

Authors

Yun-Jie Huang¹, Peter Brimblecombe², Chon-Lin Lee³, Mohd Talib Latif⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Marine Environment and Engineering, National Sun Yat-sen University, 80424 Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
² School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
³ Department of Marine Environment and Engineering, National Sun Yat-sen University, 80424 Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, 80708 Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Kuroshio Research Group, Asia-Pacific Ocean Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, 80424 Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC; Research Center of Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 80708 Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: linnohc@fac.nsysu.edu.tw.
⁴ School of Environment and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

PMID: 26093815
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.06.031

Abstract

Samples of sea-surface microlayer (SML) and sub-surface water (SSW) were collected from two areas-Kaohsiung City (Taiwan) and the southwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia to study the influence of SML on enrichment and distribution and to compare SML with the SSW. Anionic surfactants (MBAS) predominated in this study and were significantly higher in Kaohsiung than in Malaysia. Industrial areas in Kaohsiung were enriched with high loads of anthropogenic sources, accounted for higher surfactant amounts, and pose higher environmental disadvantages than in Malaysia, where pollutants were associated with agricultural activities. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC), MBAS, and cationic surfactant (DBAS) concentrations in the SML correlated to the SSW, reflecting exchanges between the SML and SSW in Kaohsiung. The relationships between surfactants and the physiochemical parameters indicated that DOC and saltwater dilution might affect the distributions of MBAS and DBAS in Kaohsiung. In Malaysia, DOC might be the important factor controlling DBAS.

Keywords: Costal environment; DBAS; DOC; Kaohsiung harbor; MBAS; Salinity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Carbon / analysis
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Malaysia
Seawater
Surface-Active Agents / analysis*
Surface-Active Agents / chemistry
Taiwan
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Surface-Active Agents
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Carbon