Determination of Trace Elements in Sediments Samples by Using Neutron  Activation Analysis

Kumar  Krishnan; Elias B.  Saion; Yap  CK; Mee Yoke  Chong; A. S.  Nadia

doi:10.18006/2022.10(1).21.31

Authors

Kumar Krishnan Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, INTI International University, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Elias B. Saion Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
Yap CK Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
Mee Yoke Chong Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, INTI International University, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
A. S. Nadia Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, INTI International University, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18006/2022.10(1).21.31

Keywords:

Enrichment, Geo-accumulation, Mangrove, Contamination factor, Pollution Load Index, Neutron activation

Abstract

The Juru River is a highly industrialized, urbanized, and agricultural catchment. This study aimed to investigate trace elements in Juru mangrove sediments, including geochemical baselines and enrichment. Sediment was collected from the mangrove in Juru, Penang, Malaysia. A total of eight target elements was examined. Instrumentation activation analysis (INAA) was used to determine the concentration of Fe, V, Cr, Zn and Co. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used to determine the concentration of elements that not detectable by INAA (Cd, Pb, and As). In both methods, validated reference material studies were used for validation of the methodology. Metal pollution was estimated using the Enrichment Factor (EF), Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), Contamination Factor (CF), and Pollutant Load Index (PLI). The EF, Igeo, and CF ranges from 0.45–7.96, -2.18 – 1.95, and 0.33–5.83 respectively. The order of accumulation of the elemental concentration found was Fe > Zn> Cr > V > Pb > As > Co >Cd. The computed mean value of PLI exceeds the unit (PLI > 1).

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