Heavy metal pollution status in the Malaysian aquatic environment

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to review the status of the Malaysian aquatic environment with respect to heavy metals. Much of the work on metals focused on measurements in biota and sediments, but very little research has been done on dissolved and particulate metals in water, metal speciation in sediments or on the bioavailability of metals. Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) received much attention but due to technical difficulties, Arsenic, (As), Mercury (Hg), Tin (Sn) and other hydride elements have not been well studied.The sources of metal pollution come from manufacturing, agriculture, sewage and motor vehicle emissions. The few reliable studies on metals in water indicate that some rivers were contaminated with Pb, Cu and Zn. Measurements in fish, bivalves and shrimp indicate no contamination of these resources by metals. However contamination by Cd and Pb was noted in some littoral shore molluscs such as Thais sp. as well as rock oysters ( Saccostrea sp.) which may be due to non-anthropogenic sources.Sediments of the Juru and Langat rivers are contaminated by Pb and Zn, while the Langat River was heavily contaminated by Cd. The concentrations of Zn and Pb in coastal sediments off Juru in Penang, and in the Johor Strait were two and three times higher than global shale values. The source of Pb pollution was thought to be derived from the use of leaded petrol. Metal levels in sediments of the Malacca Strait and the South China Sea were generally similar to global shale values.

Study on accumulation of Fe, Pb, Zn, Ni and Cd in Nerita lineata and Thais bitubercularis from Tanjung Harapan and Teluk Kemang, Malaysia.

“…Studies on the bioaccumulation of metals are limited. As reported by Shazili et al (2006), the bio-concentration factors (BCF) of 132 -12900 ×103 for Cu, 580-76000 for Pb and 481-17200 for Cr were estimated in rock oysters from Kalong Bay, Kemaman and values of 0.9 × 10-3 -1.9 × 10-3 for Pb, 8.0 × 10-3 for Cu and 2.6 × 10−3 to 3.3 × 10−3 for Cd from Crassostrea belcherici (oyster) cultured at the Merbuk estuary. Another indicator of bioaccumulation property is the biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) which is the ratio of biota to sediment contamination concentration.…”

“…The abundance of Nerita lineata and Thais bitubercularis along the shores of Peninsular Malaysia and the ability to bioaccumulate heavy metals made them a potential biomonitor organisms for marine pollution [3]. Earlier reports by [1] indicated that the levels of heavy metals in the fish, bivalves and shrimp were within the safe limits of the Malaysian Food Act of 1983. The levels of Pb and Cd were elevated in the Thais sp.…”

“…[1] extensively reviewed the status of heavy metal pollution in the Malaysian aquatic environment. The manufacturing sectors have been identified as the main contributor to heavy metal pollution.…”

Health Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals Exposure via Consumption of Bivalves Harvested from Marudu Bay, Malaysia

“…In the present study, we noticed that the content of Zn in Pacific oyster and marsh clam were exceeding the permissible limits. Studies have shown that oysters have the ability to accumulate many heavy metals [46]. Meanwhile, marsh clam has been reported to capable of accumulating the highest level of heavy metals among 13 species of clams collected from 34 sites on the Malaysian coasts [47].…”

Rare Earth Elements Behaviour at West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia Rocky Shore Ecosystem Using Saccostrea cucullata as Bioindicator

“…The west coast area is much more developed compared with the east coast area as it is adjacent to the busiest strait in the world, Malacca strait [5,6]. Six study sites have been selected in west coast area, on the basis of the occurrence of the S. cucullata and different site characteristics.…”