Characterization and sources of hydrocarbons in lagoon sediments of Setiu Wetland

Abstract

In this study, hydrocarbon contents (aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS), sterols, long chain fatty acids, alkanones and alkanals),in surface and core sediments of five stations within Setiu Lagoon, Terengganu were determined using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).Surface and core sediments were collected using a grab sampler and section Dcorer,respectively, during February and April 2004. Freeze-dried sediment (<500|jm fraction) were soxhlet extracted using dichloromethane for eight hours. Separation of hydrocarbons into aliphatic, PAHs and polar fractions were carried out using partially deactivated silica-alumina column chromatography technique. Identifications and quantifications of these compounds were done using GC-MS.