Linear alkylbenzenes in surface sediments of an estuarine and marine environment in peninsular Malaysia

Sadeq Abdullah Abdo Alkhadher; Aeslina Abdul Kadir; Mohamad Pauzi Zakaria; Adel Al-Gheethi; Mehrzad Keshavarzifard; Najat Masood; Khalaf Muslam Alenezi; Sami Muhsen Magam

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111013

Linear alkylbenzenes in surface sediments of an estuarine and marine environment in peninsular Malaysia

Mar Pollut Bull. 2020 Apr:153:111013. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111013. Epub 2020 Mar 6.

Authors

Sadeq Abdullah Abdo Alkhadher¹, Aeslina Abdul Kadir², Mohamad Pauzi Zakaria³, Adel Al-Gheethi⁴, Mehrzad Keshavarzifard⁵, Najat Masood⁶, Khalaf Muslam Alenezi⁶, Sami Muhsen Magam⁷

Affiliations

¹ Micro-pollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Cluster of Water and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. Electronic address: sadeq@uthm.edu.my.
² Micro-pollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Cluster of Water and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. Electronic address: aeslina@uthm.edu.my.
³ Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁴ Micro-pollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Cluster of Water and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia.
⁵ Shrimp Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bushehr, Iran.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, University of Hail, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Environmental Forensics Research Center, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra, Malaysia.

PMID: 32275559
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111013

Abstract

Linear alkylbenzenes were determined in the surface sediments of Muar River and Pulau Merambong, Peninsular Malaysia. The concentrations ranged from 87.4 ng g^-1 to 188.1 ng g^-1 and from 67.4 ng g^-1 to 98.2 ng g^-1 of dry weight, respectively. The composition profiles of LABs were characterized, and sewage treatment levels were identified. The ratios of internal to external isomers (I/E ratios) of the linear alkylbenzenes in Muar River sediments ranged from 1.7 to 2.2, whereas those of Pulau Merambong sediments ranged from 1.6 to 1.7. The calculated LAB ratios indicated that the study areas received primary and secondary sewage effluents. The degradation of linear alkylbenzenes in Muar River ranged from 33% to 43%, and that in Pulau Merambong ranged from 33% to 34%. The higher degradation indices in Muar River are a sign of improvement in wastewater treatment.

Keywords: I/E ratio; Indicator; Linear alkylbenzenes (LABs); Malaysia; Sediment; Sewage pollution.

MeSH terms

Benzene Derivatives
Environmental Monitoring*
Geologic Sediments*
Malaysia
Rivers
Water Pollutants, Chemical*

Substances

Benzene Derivatives
Water Pollutants, Chemical