Distribution of heavy metals concentration in surficial sediments of Muar river, Johor, Malaysia

Abstract

In the aquatic system, surficial sediments act as a vital indicator of heavy metal effluence. This study purposes (1) to determine and illustrate the degree of heavy metals (chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As)) contamination in the surficial sediments collected at Muar River due to the surrounded development of anthropogenic activities such as fishing activities, boating, industrials and municipal output, agricultural and aquaculture at Muar River which have a high tendency to emit heavy metal pollutants to the river and estuary; (2) to evaluate the relationship between the sediment grain size and heavy metal concentrations in surficial sediments of Muar River. Hence, the distribution, correlation and pollution status of heavy metals in 40 surficial sediments collected by Ponar grab were analysed using ICP-MS after Teflon bomb digestion and the results were visualized using ArcGis 10.0 software. The average concentrations was 71.9 µgig dw (Cr), 20 µgig dw (Cu), 238.83 µgig dw (Zn), 289.57 µgig dw (Pb), 5.47 µgig dw (Cd) and 30.86 µgig dw (As), respectively where all of the average concentrations are higher than the Upper