Sains Malaysiana 38(4)(2009): 435–442 

Water Quality and Heavy Metal Concentrations in Sediment of Sungai Kelantan, Kelantan, Malaysia: A Baseline Study

(Kualiti Air dan Kepekatan Logam Berat di dalam Sedimen Sungai Kelantan,

Kelantan, Malaysia: Kajian Nilai Dasar)

A.K. Ahmad*, I.  Mushrifah,  & Mohamad Shuhaimi-Othman

Environmental Science Program

School of Environmental and Natural Resources Sciences

Faculty of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor, D.E. Malaysia

Diserahkan: 12 Februari 2008 / Diterima: 04 November 2008

ABSTRACT

A study on water quality and heavy metal concentration in sediment at selected sites of Sungai Kelantan was carried out.  Ten water samples were collected along the river for physical and chemical analysis and twenty-six water and sediment samples were collected for heavy metal analysis. Water was sampled at three different dates throughout the study period whereas sediments were collected once. In addition to heavy metal analysis, sediment samples were also analysed for texture, pH and organic content. The physical and chemical water quality analyses were carried out according to the APHA procedures. Result of water quality analysis (physico-chemical) indicated that Sungai Kelantan is characterised by excellent water quality and comparable to pristine ecosystems such as the National Park and Kenyir Lake. This river was classified into class I – class III based on Malaysian interim water quality standard criteria (INWQS). Heavy metals Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd was detected at low concentration in sediment samples, except for Fe and Mn. The presence of Fe and Mn in sediment samples was though to be of natural origin from the soil. Anthropogenic metal concentrations in sediment were low indicating that Sungai Kelantan has not experienced extreme pollution.

Keywords: Heavy metal; pollution; river; sediment; water

ABSTRAK

Satu kajian kepekatan logam berat di beberapa kawasan terpilih di Sungai Kelantan telah dilakukan. Sebanyak 10 sampel air telah diambil untuk ujian fizikal dan kimia air dan 26 sampel air dan sedimen telah diambil untuk ujian kepekatan logam berat. Sampel air telah diambil sebanyak tiga kali sepanjang tempoh kajian. Sampel sedimen turut dianalisis untuk parameter tekstur, pH and kandungan organik. Analisis fizikal dan kimia air telah dilakukan dengan merujuk kepada prosedur APHA. Hasil ujian kualiti air menunjukkan Sungai Kelantan mempunyai kualiti air yang baik dan secara perbandingan umumnya setara dengan kawasan yang bersih seperti Taman Negara dan Tasik Kenyir. Sungai Kelantan boleh dikelaskan di antara kelas I – III berdasarkan kepada nilai interim piawaian kualiti air Malaysia (INWQS). Kepekatan logam berat Pb, Zn, Cu dan Cd dikesan pada kepekatan yang rendah di dalam sampel sedimen kecuali logam Fe dan Mn. Walau bagaimanapun, kepekatan Fe dan Mn yang diperolehi masih di dalam julat kepekatan semulajadi di dalam sedimen. Kepekatan logam antropogenik di dalam sedimen adalah rendah dan menggambarkan bahawa Sungai Kelantan tidak mengalami pencemaran yang serius.

Kata kunci: Air; logam berat; pencemaran; sedimen; sungai

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: abas@ukm.my