Skip to main content

Effects of anthropogenic activities on the heavy metal levels in the clams and sediments in a tropical river

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 24, pages 116–134 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

The present study aimed to assess the effects of anthropogenic activities on the heavy metal levels in the Langat River by transplantation of Corbicula javanica. In addition, potential ecological risk indexes (PERI) of heavy metals in the surface sediments of the river were also investigated. The correlation analysis revealed that eight metals (As, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in total soft tissue (TST) while five metals (As, Cd, Cr, Fe and Mn) in shell have positively and significantly correlation with respective metal concentration in sediment, indicating the clams is a good biomonitor of the metal levels. Based on clustering patterns, the discharge of dam impoundment, agricultural activities and urban domestic waste were identified as three major contributors of the metals in Pangsun, Semenyih and Dusun Tua, and Kajang, respectively. Various geochemical indexes for a single metal pollutant (geoaccumulation index (I geo), enrichment factors (EF), contamination factor (C f) and ecological risk (Er)) all agreed that Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn are not likely to cause adverse effect to the river ecosystem, but As and Pb could pose a potential ecological risk to the river ecosystem. All indexes (degree of contamination (C d), combined pollution index (CPI) and PERI) showed that overall metal concentrations in the tropical river are still within safe limit. River metal pollution was investigated. Anthropogenic activities were contributors of the metal pollution. Geochemical indexes showed that metals are within the safe limit.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  • Abrahim GMS, Parker RJ (2008) Assessment of heavy metal enrichment factors and the degree of contamination in marine sediments form Tamaki Estuary, Auckland, New Zealand. Environ Monit Assess 136:227–238

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alloway BJ (1995) Heavy metals in soils, 2nd edn. Blackie Academic & Professional, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Aoun M, Arnaudguilhem C, El Samad O, Khozam RB, Lobinski R (2015) Impact of a phosphate fertilizer plant on the contamination of marine biota by heavy elements. Environ. Sci. Poll. Res. 22:14940–14949

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Apichitchat S, Jung K (2015) Hydrological simulation for impact assessment of Kaeng Sue Ten dam in Thailand. KSCE J Civil Eng 19(7):2325–2332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aris AZ, Lim WY, Looi LJ (2015) Natural and anthropogenic determinants of freshwater ecosystem deterioration: an environmental forensic study of the Langat River Basin, Malaysia. In: Environmental management of river basin ecosystems, ed. Ramkumar, Mu., Kumaraswamy, K., Mohanraj, R., pp. 455–476. Springer

  • Aris AZ, Looi LJ (2015) Estuaries ecosystems health status—profiling the advancements in metal analysis. In Advances in Coastal and Marine Resources. Springer. Pages 429–453

  • Atafar Z, Mesdaghinia A, Nouri J, Homaee M, Yunesian M, Ahmadimoghaddam M, Mahvi AH (2010) Effect of fertilizer application on soil heavy metal concentration. Environ Monit Assess 160:83–89

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Badri MA, Aston SR (1983) Observation on heavy metal geochemical associations in polluted and non-polluted estuarine sediments. Environ Poll Ser B 6:181–193

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Binta Hasan A, Kabir S, Selim Reza AHM, Nazim Zaman M (2013) Enrichment factor and geo-accumulation index of trace metals in sediments of the ship breaking area of Sitakund Upazilla (Bhatiary–Kumira), Chittagong, Bangladesh. J Geochem Exp 125:130–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birth G (2003) A scheme for assessing human impacts on coastal aquatic environments using sediments, eds., Woodcoffe, C. D., Furness, R. A. Sydney, Australia: Coastal GIS

  • Buat-Menard P, Chesselet R (1979) Variable influence of the atmospheric flux on the trace metal chemistry of oceanic suspended matter. Earth Planet Sci Lett 42:398–411

  • Cardoso PG, Grilo TF, Reis AT, Coelho JP, Pereira E, Pardal MA (2015) Field transplantation of the bivalve Scrobicularia plana along a mercury gradient in Ria de Aveiro (Portugal): uptake and depuration kinetics. Sci. Tot. Environ. 512–513:55–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) (1999) Sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. (http://st-ts.ccme.ca/en/index.html) retrieved 28 June 2015

  • Cheng WH, Yap CK (2015) Potential human health risks from toxic metals via mangrove snail consumption and their ecological risk assessments in the habitat sediment from Peninsular Malaysia. Chemosphere 135:156–165

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cristina MMD, Maria H, Pestana D, Luiz D (1986) Geochemical partitioning of heavy metals in sediments of three estuaries along the coast of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Sci Tot Environ 58(1–2):63–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Dhanakumar S, Solaraj G, Mohanraj R (2015) Heavy metal partitioning in sediments and bioaccumulation in commercial fish species of three major reservoirs of river Cauvery delta region, India. Ecotox Environ Saf 113:145–151

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Díaz-de Alba M, Galindo-Riano MD, Casanueva-Marenco MJ, García-Vargas M, Kosore CM (2011) Assessment of the metal pollution, potential toxicity and speciation of sediment from Algeciras Bay (south of Spain) using chemometric tools. J. Hazard. Mat. 190:177–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duc TA, Loi VD, Thao TT (2013) Partition of heavy metals in a tropical river system impacted by municipal waste. Environ Monit Assess 185:1907–1925

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emsley J (2001) Manganese. Nature’s building blocks: an A–Z guide to the elements. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 249–253

    Google Scholar 

  • Fan H, He D, Wang H (2015) Environmental consequences of damming the mainstream Lancang-Mekong River: a review. Earth Sci Rev 146:77–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster P, Cravo A (2003) Minor elements and trace metals in the shells of marine gastropods from a shore in tropical East Africa. Wat. Air Soil Poll. 145:53–65

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu J, Zhao CP, Luo YP, Liu CS, Kyzas GZ, Luo Y, Zhao DY, An SQ, Zhu HL (2014) Heavy metals in surface sediments of the Jialu River, China: their relations to environmental factors. J Hazard Mat 270:102–109

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuge R (2013) Anthropogenic Sources. In Essentials of Medical Geology, ed. Selinus, O., pp 59–74. Springer

  • George R, Martin GD, Nair SM, Chandramohanakumar N (2013) Biomonitoring of trace metal pollution using the bivalve molluscs, Villorita cyprinoides, from the Cochin backwaters. Environ Monit Assess 185:10317–10331

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giordano R, Musmeci L, Ciaralli L, Vernillo I, Chirico M, Piccioni A, Costantini S (1992) Total contents and sequential extractions of mercury, cadmium, and lead in coastal sediments. Mar. Poll. Bull. 24(7):350–357

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hakanson L (1980) An ecological risk index for aquatic pollution control. A sedimentary approach. Wat Res 14:975–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall BD, St. Louis VL, Rolfhus KR, Bodaly RA, Beaty KG, Paterson MJ, Peech Cherewyk KA (2005) Impacts of reservoir creation on the biogeochemical cycling of methyl mercury and total mercury in boreal upland forests. Ecosystems 8:248–266

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han FX, Su Y, Monts DL, Plodinec MJ, Banin A, Triplett GE (2003) Assessment of global industrial-age anthropogenic arsenic contamination. Naturwissenschaften 90:395–401

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harguinteguy CA, Noelia Cofré M, Fernández-Cirelli A, Luisa Pignata M (2016) The macrophytes Potamogeton pusillus L. and Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. as potential bioindicators of a river contaminated by heavy metals. Microchem J 124:228–234

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haris H, Aris AZ (2013) The geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor of mercury in mangrove sediment of Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. Arab J Geosci 6:4119–4128

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassanien MA, El Shahawy AM (2011) Environmental heavy metals and mental disorders of children in developing countries. In Environmental Heavy Metal Pollution and Effects on Child Mental Development: Risk Assessment and Prevention Strategies. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security Volume 1. Ed. Simeonov, L.I., Kochubovski, M.V. and Simeonova B.G. Springer

  • Iqbal J, Tirmizi SA, Shah MH (2013) Statistical apportionment and risk assessment of selected metals in sediments from Rawal Lake (Pakistan). Environ Monit Assess 185(1):729–743

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iwegbue CMA, Nwajei GE, Ogala JE, Overah CL (2010) Determination of trace metal concentrations in soil profiles of municipal waste dumps in Nigeria. Environ Geochem Health 32:415–430

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kochubovski M (2011) Heavy metals as persistent problem for Balkan countries. In Environmental Heavy Metal Pollution and Effects on Child Mental Development: Risk Assessment and Prevention Strategies. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security Volume 1. Ed. Simeonov, L.I., Kochubovski, M.V. and Simeonova B.G. Springer

  • Landis WG, Yu MH, (2003) Introduction to environmental toxicology: impacts of chemicals upon ecological systems, Third Edition. CRC Press LLC

  • Lee CS, Lim YW, Kim HH, Yang JY, Shin DC (2012) Exposure to heavy metals in blood and risk perception of the population living in the vicinity of municipal waste incinerators in Korea. Environ. Sci. Poll. Res. 165:349–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim WY, Aris AZ, Tengku Ismail TH (2013) Spatial geochemical distribution and sources of heavy metals in the sediment of Langat River, western Peninsular Malaysia. Environ Forensic 14:133–145

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li-qun C, Yeboah S, Cheng-sheng S, Xiao-dong C, Ren-zhi Z (2015) GIS-based assessment of arable layer pollution of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in Baiyin District of Gansu Province. Environ Earth Sci 74:803–811

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lopes C, Herva M, Franco-Uría M, Roca E (2011) Inventory of heavy metal content in organic waste applied as fertilizer in agriculture: evaluating the risk of transfer into the food chain. Environ Sci Poll Res 18:918–939

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loska K, Cebula J, Pelczar J, Wiechula D, Kwapulinski J (1997) Use of enrichment factors together with geoaccumulation indexes to evaluate the content of Cd, Cu and Ni in the Rybnik Water Reservoir in Poland. Wat Air Soil Pollut 93:347–365

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma X, Zuo H, Tian M, Zhang L, Meng J, Zhou X, Min N, Chang X, Liu Y (2016) Assessment of heavy metals contamination in sediments from three adjacent regions of the Yellow River using metal chemical fractions and multivariate analysis techniques. Chemosphere 144:264–272

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma Y, Qin Y, Zheng B, Zhang L, Zhao Y (2015) Seasonal variation of enrichment, accumulation and sources of heavy metals in suspended particulate matter and surface sediments in the Daliao river and Daliao river estuary. Northeast China Environ Earth Sci 73:5107–5117

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maanan M (2008) Heavy metal concentrations in marine molluscs from the Moroccan coastal region. Environ Pollut 153:176–183

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marie V, Baudrimont M, Boudou A (2006) Cadmium and zinc bioaccumulation and metallothionein response in two freshwater bivalves (Corbicula fluminea and Dreissena polymorpha) transplanted along a polymetallic gradient. Chemosphere 65:609–617

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marmolejo-Rodrıguez AJ, Prego R, Meyer-Willerer A, Shumilin E, Cobelo-Garci A (2007) Total and labile metals in surface sediments of the tropical river-estuary system of Marabasco (Pacific coast of Mexico): influence of an iron mine. Mar Poll Bull 55:459–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martínez-Martínez S, Acosta JA, Faz Cano A, Carmona DM, Zornoza R, Cerda C (2013) Assessment of the lead and zinc contents in natural soils and tailing ponds from the Cartagena-La Unión mining district, SE Spain. J Geochem Explor 124:166–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCully P (2001) Rivers no more: the environmental effects of dams. In: silenced rivers: the ecology and politics of large dams. ZedBooks, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Milestone (2014) ETHOS One. The best choice in microwave sample preparation. Milestone. Available online at http://www.anamed.com.tr/milestone/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ETHOSOne-CAT288EN-003.pdf (Assessed on 06 August 2016)

  • Muhammad Ali BN, Lin CY, Cleophas F, Abdullah MH, Musta B (2015) Assessment of heavy metals contamination in Mamut river sediments using sediment quality guidelines and geochemical indices. Environ Monit Assess 187:4190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muller G (1969) Index of geoaccumulation in sediments of the Rhine River. GeoJournal 2:108–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Nemati K, Abu Bakar NK, Abas MR, Sobhanzadeh E (2011) Speciation of heavy metals by modified BCR sequential extraction procedure in different depths of sediments from Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia. J Hazard Mater 192:402–410

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osborne JW (2002) Notes on the use of data transformations. Pract Assess Res Eval 8(6)

  • Osman KT (2014) Soil pollution. In: soil degradation, conservation and remediation. Springer, Netherland

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ozaki H, Watanabe I, Kuno K (2004) Investigation of the heavy metal sources in relation to automobiles. Wat Air Soil Poll 157:209–223

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey M, Tripathi S, Pandey AK, Tripathi BD (2014) Risk assessment of metal species in sediments of the river Ganga. Catena 122:140–149

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Purushothaman P, Chakrapani GJ (2007) Heavy metals fractionation in Ganga River sediments. India Environ Monit Assess 132(1):475–489

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rocha GHO, Lini RS, Barbosa F Jr, Batista BL, de Oliveira Souza VC, Nerilo SB, Bando E, Mossini SAG, Nishiyama P (2015) Exposure to heavy metals due to pesticide use by vineyard farmers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 88:875–880

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosales-Hoz L, Carranza-Edwards A, Lopez-Hernandez M (2000) Heavy metals in sediments of a large, turbid tropical lake affected by anthropogenic discharges. Environ Geol 39:3–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudnick RL, Gao S (2003) Composition of the continental crust. In: Rudnick, R.L. (Eds.) The Crust, vol. 3.Elsevier. pp. 1–64

  • Saleem M, Iqbal J, Shah MH (2015) Geochemical speciation, anthropogenic contamination, risk assessment and source identification of selected metals in freshwater sediments—a case study from Mangla Lake, Pakistan. Environ Nanotechnol Monit Manage 4:27–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarmani SB (1989) The determination of heavy metals in water, suspended materials and sediments from Langat River, Malaysia. Hydrobiologia 176–177(1):233–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schi KC, Weisberg SB (1999) Iron as a reference element for determining trace metal enrichment in Southern California coast shelf sediments. Mar Environ Res 48:161–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz MS, Benci JL, Selote DS, Anuj K, Sharma AK, Chen AG, Dang H, Fares H, Vatamaniuk OK (2010) Detoxification of multiple heavy metals by a half-molecule ABC transporter, HMT-1, and coelomocytes of Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS One 5(3) e9564

  • Shafie N, Aris AZ, Hazzeman H (2014) Geoaccumulation and distribution of heavy metals in the urban river sediment. Int J Sediment Res 29:368–377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song Y, Ji J, Yang Z, Yuan X, Mao C, Frost RL (2011) Geochemical behavior assessment and apportionment of heavy metal contaminants in the bottom sediments of lower reach of Changjiang River. Catena 85(1):73–81

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sundaray SK, Nayak BB, Lee BG, Bhatta D (2014) Spatio-temporal dynamics of heavy metals in sediments of the river estuarine system: Mahanadi basin (India). Environ Earth Sci 71:1893–1909

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland RA (2000) Bed sediment-associated trace metals in an urban stream, Oahu, Hawaii. Environ Geol 39(6):611–627

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tao HH, Slade EM, Willis KJ, Caliman JP, Snaddon JL (2016) Effects of soil management practices on soil fauna feeding activity in an Indonesian oil palm plantation. Agric Ecosyst Environ 218:133–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor SR (1964) Abundance of chemical elements in the continental crust: a new table. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 28:1273–1285

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teisserenc R, Lucotte M, Canuel R, Moingt M, Obrist D (2014) Combined dynamics of mercury and terrigenous organic matter following impoundment of Churchill Falls Hydroelectric Reservoir, Labrador. Biogeochem 118:21–34

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tran D, Boudou A, Massabuau JC (2001) How water oxygenation level influences cadmium accumulation pattern in the asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea: a laboratory and field study. Environ Toxicol Chem 20(9):2073–2080

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (2002) A guidance manual to support the assessment of contaminated sediments in freshwater ecosystems. US EPA-905-B02–001-C

  • Usero J, Morillo J, Gracia I (2005) Heavy metal concentrations in molluscs from the Atlantic coast of southern Spain. Chemosphere 59:1175–1181

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venkatesha RK, Somashekar RK, Prakash KL (2012) Heavy metal status of sediment in river Cauvery, Karnataka. Environ Monit Assess 184:361–373

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh K, Dunstan H, Murdoch RN, Conroy BA, Roberts TK, Lake P (1994) Bioaccumulation of pollutants and changes in population parameters in the gastropod mollusc Austrocochlea constricta. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 26:367–373

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan YL, Aris AZ, Mohamad PZ (2012) Spatial variability of metals in surface water and sediment in the Langat River and geochemical factors that influence their water-sediment interactions. Sci World J 14

  • Wang B, Xia DS, Yu Y, Jia J, Xu SJ (2013) Magnetic records of heavy metal pollution in urban topsoil in Lanzhou, China. Chin Sci Bull 58(3):384–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Chen P, Cui R, Si W, Zhang Y, Ji W (2010) Heavy metal concentrations in water, sediment, and tissues of two fish species (Triplohysa pappenheimi, Gobio hwanghensis) from the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River, China. Environ Monit Assess 165:97–102

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang ZY, Lee JHW, Melching CS (2015) Dams and impounded rivers. In: Wang ZY, Lee JHW, Melching CS (eds) River dynamics and integrated river management. Tsinghua University Press, Beijing and Springer-Verlag, pp. 397–465

    Google Scholar 

  • Won EJ, Kim KT, Choi JY, Kim ES, Ra K (2016) Target organs of the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum for studying metal accumulation and biomarkers in pollution monitoring: laboratory and in-situ transplantation experiments. Environ Monit Assess 188:478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu ZQ, Ni SJ, Tuo XG, Zhang CJ (2008) Calculation of heavy metals’ toxicity coefficient in the evaluation of potential ecological risk index. Environ Sci Technol 31(2):112–115

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Z, Lu W, Long Y, Bao X, Yang Q (2011) Assessment of heavy metals contamination in urban topsoil from Changchun City, China. J Geochem Explor 108(1):27–38

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yap CK, Ismail A, Tan SG, Omar H (2002) Correlations between speciation of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in sediment and their concentrations in total soft tissue of green-lipped mussel Perna viridis from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Environ Int 28:117–126

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yap CK, Ismail A, Tan SG, Abdul Rahim I (2003) Can the shell of the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis (Linnaeus) from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia be a potential biomonitoring material for Cd, Pb and Zn? Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 57:623–630

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yap CK, Hatta Y, Berandah FB, Tan SG (2008) Comparison of heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni and Zn) in the shells and different soft tissues of Anadara granosa collected from Jeram, Kuala Juru and Kuala Kurau, Peninsular Malaysia. Pertanika J Trop Agric Sci 31(2):205–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Yap CK, Aziran Y, Cheng WH (2009) Distribution of heavy metal concentrations in the different soft tissues and shells of the bivalve Psammotaea elongata and gastropod Faunus ater collected from Pantai Sri Tujuh, Kelantan. J Sust Sci Manage 4(1):66–74

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yap CK, Edward FB, Tan SG (2010) Similarities and differences of metal distributions in the tissues of molluscs by using multivariate analyses. Environ Monit Assess 165(1–4):39–53

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yap CK, Noorhaidah A, Tan SG (2011) Zn concentrations in the different soft tissues of Telescopium telescopium and their relationships with Zn speciation by sequential extraction in surface sediments: a statistical multiple linear stepwise regression analysis. In: Gastropods: diversity, habitat and genetics. Nova Science Publishers Inc. New York. Eds: Andrea M. Bianchi and Jamie N. Fields, 127–148 pp

  • Young SM, Ishiga H (2014) Assessment of dam removal from geochemical examination of Kuma River sediment, Kyushu. Japan Environ Monit Assess 186:8267–8289

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan X, Zhang L, Li J, Wang C, Ji J (2014) Sediment properties and heavy metal pollution assessment in the river, estuary and lake environments of a fluvial plain, China. Catena 119:52–60

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuksel O (2015) Influence of municipal solid waste compost application on heavy metal content in soil. Environ Monit Assess 187:313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zaharah AR, Zulkifli H, Sharifuddin HAH (1997) Evaluating the efficacy of various phosphate fertiliser sources for oil palm seedlings. Nutr Cycl Agroecosys 47:93–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zar JH (1996) Biostatistical analysis. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Q, Liu S, Deng L, Dong S, Wang C (2013) Longitudinal distribution of heavy metals in sediments of a canyon reservoir in Southwest China due to dam construction. Environ Monit Assess 185:6101–6110

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou J, Dang Z, Cai M, Liu C (2007) Soil heavy metal pollution around the Dabaoshan mine, Guangdong province, China. Pedosphere 17(5):588–594

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu H, Yuan X, Zeng G, Jiang M, Liang J, Zhang C, Yin J, Huang H, Liu Z, Jiang H (2012) Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments of Xiawan Port based on modified potential ecological risk index. Transac Nonfer Metals Soc China 22:1470–1477

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the financial supports to Mr. WKW under MyBrain15 of Malaysia’s MoHe and Graduate Research Fellowship of UPM for his Master study in UPM, which are greatly appreciated.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Koe Wei Wong, Chee Kong Yap & Rosimah Nulit

  2. Malaysian Nuclear Agency, Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohd Suhaimi Hamzah

  3. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Soo Kien Chen

  4. Inti International University, Persiaran Perdana BBN, 71800, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

    Wan Hee Cheng

  5. Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Ali Karami

  6. Biology Department, University College of Taymma, Taymma, P.O.Box 714, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

    Salman Abdo Al-Shami

Authors
  1. Koe Wei Wong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chee Kong Yap
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rosimah Nulit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mohd Suhaimi Hamzah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Soo Kien Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Wan Hee Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ali Karami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Salman Abdo Al-Shami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chee Kong Yap.

Additional information

Highlights

• Heavy metal pollution in the Langat River by Corbicula javanica transplantation was investigated.

• Generally, the clam is a good biomonitor of metal pollution.

• Anthropogenic activities were identified as three contributors of the metals pollution in the river.

• Based on PERI, only As and Pb could pose a potential ecological risk to the river ecosystem.

• All geochemical indexes showed that overall heavy metal concentrations in the river are still within safe limit.

Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues

Electronic supplementary material

Table S1

(DOCX 26 kb)

Table S2

(DOCX 27 kb)

Table S3

(DOCX 25 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wong, K.W., Yap, C.K., Nulit, R. et al. Effects of anthropogenic activities on the heavy metal levels in the clams and sediments in a tropical river. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 116–134 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7951-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7951-z

Keywords

  • Anthropogenic activities
  • Heavy metals
  • Corbicula javanica
  • Langat River
  • Ecological risk assessment