Concentration of heavy metal in surface sediment at Sulu-Sulawesi Sea (Sabah)

Abstract

This study was conducted in the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea of Sabah. The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of heavy metals in surface sediments of SuluSulawesi Sea, Sabah and to relate between organic carbon and heavy metals. Surface sediments were taken using Smith McIntyre grab. The samples were digested using Teflon bomb method and analyzed using ICP-MS. For organic carbon analysis, iron sulfate oxidation method was used. The concentration of Al, Fe, Mg,Zn, Cu, and Pb ranged between 0.003% - 6.55%, 0.10% - 5.43%, 0.17% - 2.38%, 19.9 ppm-79ppm, 2.54ppm-55.78ppm, and 2.4lppm-19.73 ppm respectively. Al showed significant correlation with organic carbon while other metals show poor correlation with organic carbon. The sediments of the Sulu and Sulawesi seas may be considered as relatively pristine as pollutant metal Pb was very low in concentration.