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Lateral distribution, environmental occurrence, and assessment of organic pollutants in surface sediments of the East Malaysia

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Abstract

One of the molecular chemical markers used to identify anthropogenic inputs is linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) that cause serious impacts in the bays and coastal ecosystems. The surface sediments samples collected from the East Malaysia, including Brunei bay to estimate the LABs concentration and distribution as molecular markers of anthropogenic indicators. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used after purification, fractionation the hydrocarbons in the sediment samples to identify the sources of LABs. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson correlation coefficient were applied to analyze the difference between sampling stations’ significance at p < 0.05. Long to short chains L/S, homologs C13/C12, and internal to external (I/E) congeners have used to assess the LABs degradation rates as well as the effectiveness of sewage treatment. Results of this study showed that the LABs concentration ranged between 7.1 to 41.3 ng g−1 dw, in the investigated stations. The majority of sample sites exhibited a considerable input of C13-LABs homologs, and LABs homologs differed significantly. The estimated LABs ratios (I/E), which ranged between 0.6 and 2.2, demonstrated the effluents with primary and less secondary sources are released into the bay waters. The degradation of LABs were up to 42% in the interrogated locations. The conclusion is that the wastewater treatment system needs to be improved, and that LABs molecular markers are highly effective in tracing anthropogenic sewage contamination.

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Data availability

The Metadata used to support the findings of this study have been deposited in the University 301 Putra Malaysia repository at http://upm.edu.my/.

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Funding

The postdoctoral scheme grant from University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) and the Inisiatif Putra Berkumpulan Grant from the University of Perak (UPM) are funding this study (9412401).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

    Sadeq Abdullah Abdo Alkhadher

  2. Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Mohamad Pauzi Zakaria

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  1. Sadeq Abdullah Abdo Alkhadher
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  2. Suhaimi Suratman
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  3. Mohamad Pauzi Zakaria
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Contributions

Sadeq Abdullah Abdo Alkhadher: investigation, writing—original draft. Suhaimi Suratman: supervision, writing—review and editing, Resources. Mohamad Pauzi Zakaria: writing—review and editing, formal analysis.

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Correspondence to Sadeq Abdullah Abdo Alkhadher.

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Alkhadher, S.A.A., Suratman, S. & Zakaria, M.P. Lateral distribution, environmental occurrence, and assessment of organic pollutants in surface sediments of the East Malaysia. Environ Monit Assess 195, 720 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11310-w

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