Sains Malaysiana 41(7)(2012): 815–828

Activity Levels of ²¹⁰Po in the Coastal Area of Kapar, Malaysia, Close to a

Coal-Fired Power Plant

(Aras Aktiviti²¹⁰Po di Kawasan Pantai Kapar, Malaysia yang Berhampiran

Stesen Jana Elektrik Arang Batu)

Asnor Azrin Sabuti

Marine Science Program, School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences,

Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor D.E.,

Malaysia

Che Abd Rahim Mohamed*

Marine Ecosystem Research Centre (EKOMAR), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor D.E. Malaysia

Received: 30 September 2011 / Accepted: 21 February 2012

ABSTRACT

The activity concentration of ²¹⁰Po from six different samples consisting of raw charcoal, surface sediment, rainwater (suspended solids (SSrw) and dissolved phase (Drw) and estuarine water (suspended solids (SSew) and dissolved phase (Dew)), were analyzed. The activity concentration of ²¹⁰Po in solid samples was between 7.63 ± 0.67 and 744.28 ± 21.12 Bqkg-1 and in dissolved samples varied between 0.34 ± 0.03 and 86.33 ± 6.51 mBqL-1. On average, ²¹⁰Po activity in SSrw sample was the highest, at nearly three times its original form (charcoal). SSew and surface sediment samples were similarly distributed between 15th March and 1st August samplings, but were relatively lower than charcoal and SSrw samples. The natural meteorological variability also enhanced ²¹⁰Po distribution and dispersion to a few kilometers from the coal-fired power plant.

Keywords: ²¹⁰Po; coal-fired power plant; meteorological variability; solid and dissolved samples

ABSTRAK

Kepekatan aktiviti²¹⁰Po daripada enam sampel yang berbeza merangkumi arang batu mentah, permukaan sedimen, air hujan (pepejal terampai (SSrw) dan fasa terlarut (Drw)) dan air estuari (pepejal terampai (SSew) dan fasa terlarut (Dew)) telah dianalisis di dalam kajian ini. Kepekatan aktiviti ²¹⁰Po di dalam sampel pepejal berada dalam julat 7.63 ± 0.67 dan 744.28 ± 21.12 Bqkg-1. Manakala pada sampel terlarut pula beubah-ubah di antara 0.34 ± 0.03 dan 86.33 ± 6.51 mBqL-1. Secara purata, aktiviti ²¹⁰Po di dalam sampel SSrw adalah yang tertinggi, hampir tiga kali ganda daripada bentuk asalnya (arang batu). Sampel SSew dan permukaan sedimen mempunyai taburan yang sekata di antara persampelan antara 15 Mac dan 1 Ogos, namun secara relatifnya adalah rendah berbanding sampel-sampel arang batu dan SSew. Pengedaran dan penumpukan juga berbeza-beza bergantung kepada variasi iklim di lokasi kajian. Kajian ini menunjukkan penumpukan ²¹⁰Po di kawasan kajian kelihatan tinggi semasa monsun barat daya berbanding monsun timur laut, yang disebabkan oleh keadaan meteorologi masing-masing. Seterusnya, perubahan meteorologi secara semula jadi juga meningkatkan taburan dan edaran ²¹⁰Po kepada beberapa kilometer daripada stesen janaelektrik arang batu tersebut.

Kata kunci: ²¹⁰Po; perubahan meteorologi; polonium; sampel pepejal dan terlarut; stesen janakuasa arang batu

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*Corresponding author; email: carmohd@ukm.my