Determination of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Sediment of Kemaman River Estuary, Terengganu

The determination of the concentrations and distributions of selected heavy metals such as Al, Fe, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in sediment of Kemaman River estuary, Terengganu has been carried out using the wet digestion method. After digestion, heavy metals in solution extracts were analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer (GFAAS). In general, the results showed that most of heavy metals concentration in the study area are similar or lower compared to other areas. For the first sampling, mean concentration was 4.44 ± 2.55 % (Al), 2.36 ± 1.01 % (Fe), 44.29 ± 23.82 μg.g^-1 (Cr), 12.13 ± 6.03 μg.g^-1 (Cu), 135 ± 83.08 μg.g^-1 (Mn), 27.08 ± 13.47 μg.g^-1 (Ni), 25.11 ± 10.34 μg.g^-1 (Pb) and 69.85 ± 29.13 μg.g^-1 (Zn). In the second sampling, the mean concentration of Al was 10.18 ± 6.64 %, 1.78 ± 0.75 % (Fe), 27.00 ± 18.27 μg.g^-1 (Cr), 10.15 ± 6.75 μg.g^-1 (Cu), 120.71 ± 72.69 μg.g^-1 (Mn), 11.88 ± 5.18 μg.g^-1 (Ni), 20.49 ± 9.20 μg.g^-1 (Pb) and 34.17 ± 29.97 μg.g^-1 (Zn). The ANOVA statistical analysis showed that there was significant difference (p<0.05) between the first and second sampling. Enrichment factor determination showed that Pb concentration was influenced by anthropogenic sources. Several activities around the Sungai Kemaman have been identified as the contributors for anthropogenic sources such as fishing activities, industrial, shipyard activities and from urbanized area. (author)