Sains Malaysiana 50(4)(2021): 1187-1198

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5004-28

Positive and Negative Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Aquatic Environment: A Review

(Kesan Positif dan Negatif Pandemik COVID-19 ke atas Persekitaran Akuatik: Suatu Ulasan)

ONG MENG CHUAN^1,2,3*, ADIANA GHAZALI^1,2, ROSWATI MD AMIN^1,2, KESAVEN BHUBALAN^1,2, LEE JEN NIE^1,2, TUAN MOHAMAD FAUZAN TUAN OMAR^1,2, IDHAM KHALIL^1,2, SUVIK ASSAW^1,2, YONG JAW CHUEN^1,2, NURULNADIA MOHD YUSOFF^1,2, IZAN JAAFAR^1,2, WAN NURUL NADIAH WAN RASDI^2,4, NURZAFIRAH MAZLAN⁵, MIFTAHUL JANNAH MUHAMMAD HUSIN⁵, RADIN MAYA SAPHIRA RADIN MOHAMED⁶, ZURAHANIM FASHA ANUAL⁷, CHEN MENGLI⁸ & MARFIAH AB WAHID⁹

¹Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

²Ocean Pollution and Ecotoxicology (OPEC) Research Group, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

³Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

⁴Faculty of Fisheries and Food Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

⁵Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Management and Science University, Seksyen 13, University Drive, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁶Micropollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

⁷Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

⁸Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119227, Singapore

⁹Micropollutant & Pathogen in Water Research Group, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Received: 25 January 2021/Accepted: 15 March 2021

ABSTRACT

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak was reported for the first time in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. This coronavirus has been referred as Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 by World Health Organization (WHO). The spread of COVID-19 has become unstoppable, infecting around 93.5 million people worldwide, with the infections and deaths still increasing. Today, the entire planet has changed due to the greatest threat on the planet since the introduction of this lethal disease. This pandemic has left the world in turmoil and various measures have been taken by many countries including movement control order or lockdown, to slow down or mitigate the infection. Since the lockdown has been implemented almost in all affected countries, there has been a significant reduction in anthropogenic activity, including a reduction in industrial operations, vehicle numbers, and marine-related activities. All of these changes have also led to some unexpected environmental consequences. As a result of this lockdown, it had a positive and negative impact on the environment including the aquatic environment. Hence this review will therefore focus on the good and bad perspectives of the lockdown toward the aquatic environment.

Keywords: Anthropogenic; aquatic environment; COVID-19; lockdown; pollution

ABSTRAK

Pada Disember 2019, satu koronavirus baru yang dikenali sebagai SARS-CoV-2 telah merebak dan dilaporkan untuk pertama kalinya di Wuhan, Wilayah Hubei, China. Koronavirus ini telah dinamakan sebagai Coronavirus Disease 2019 atau pandemik COVID-19 oleh Pertubuhan Kesihatan Dunia (WHO). Penyebaran COVID-19 ini tidak dapat dikawal dan dihentikan dan telah menjangkiti hampir 94.5 juta manusia di seluruh dunia dengan kadar jangkitan dan kematian masih meningkat pada hari ini. Kini, persekitaran bumi telah berubah kerana ancaman terbesar sejak kemunculan wabak ini. Pandemik ini juga menjadikan seluruh dunia menjadi panik dan pelbagai langkah telah diambil oleh kebanyakan negara termasuk perintah kawalan pergerakan untuk memperlahankan dan mengawal jangkitan ini. Sejak perintah ini dilaksanakan di kesemua negara yang terjejas di seluruh dunia, aktiviti antropogen telah berkurangan secara signifikan, termasuk aktiviti perindustrian, jumlah kenderaan di jalan raya dan juga aktiviti berkaitan dengan laut. Semua perubahan ini turut membawa kepada perubahan persekitaran yang tidak dijangka oleh manusia. Hasil daripada kawalan ini, ia memberi kesan positif dan juga negatif terhadap alam sekitar termasuklah persekitaran akuatik. Oleh itu, ulasan ini akan menumpukan kepada perspektif baik dan buruk perintah kawalan pergerakan terhadap persekitaran akuatik.

Kata kunci: Antropogen; COVID-19; kawalan pergerakan; pencemaran; persekitaran akuatik

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*Corresponding author; email: ong@umt.edu.my