Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers

The extent of pollution at Santubong and Sarawak Rivers was determined by analyzing the geochemical biomarkers in the core sediments. The distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the core sediments was determined qualitatively and quantitatively while the...

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Main Author:	Bebe Norlita, Mohamed.
Format:	Thesis
Language:	English
Published:	2009
Subjects:	TC Hydraulic engineering Ocean engineering
Online Access:	http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/28263/1/Bebe%20Norlita%20binti%20Mohamed%20ft.pdf
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spelling	my-unimas-ir.282632023-04-13T03:51:51Z Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers 2009 Bebe Norlita, Mohamed. TC Hydraulic engineering. Ocean engineering The extent of pollution at Santubong and Sarawak Rivers was determined by analyzing the geochemical biomarkers in the core sediments. The distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the core sediments was determined qualitatively and quantitatively while the distribution of sterols, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and phthalates was determined qualitatively. The core sediments were Soxhlet extracted for 12 hours using dichloromethane to obtain the geolipids. Subsequently, the geolipids were fractionated into 5 fractions using activated silica gel column chromatography. The aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions were analyzed on capillary gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) while polar fractions, FAMES, phthalate esters and alcohols, were analyzed on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Total organic matter in the core sediments from Santubong and Sarawak rivers varied from 3.44 - 7.07 % and 2.03 - 6.55 %, respectively. Core sediments from both rivers showed the presence of unresolved complex mixture eluting between Cis to C34. The total n-alkanes in core sediments from Santubong and Sarawak rivers ranged from 10.8 - 101.1 µg/g dw and 7.3 - 61.7 gg/g dw, respectively. Pristane/C17 and phytane/C18 suggest low degradation of aliphatic hydrocarbons. Biomarker indices of total n-alkanes indicated a mixture of inputs from both biogenic and petrogenic sources. Total PAHs in core sediments from Santubong and Sarawak rivers ranged from 0.8 - 2.5 µg/g dw and 0.7 - 6.7 µg/g dw, respectively. The PAHs ratios including fluoranthene/pyrene and benzo[ajanthracene/chrysene showed the PAHs originated from pyrolitic inputs. Both Santubong and Sarawak Rivers are considered moderately polluted with n-alkanes and PAHs of anthropogenic natures. Domination of short chain FAMEs 111 (< C2o) in core sediments from both rivers indicates planktonic sources of FAMES. Phthalate esters which are widely used as plasticizers were also detected in core sediments from both rivers. The core sediments from both rivers were also dominated by short chain alcohols and sterols (< C22) that indicates inputs from unspecified marine, terrestrial and bacterial origins. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) 2009 Thesis http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/28263/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/28263/1/Bebe%20Norlita%20binti%20Mohamed%20ft.pdf text en validuser masters Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Faculty of Resource Science and Technology
institution	Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
collection	UNIMAS Institutional Repository
language	English
topic	TC Hydraulic engineering Ocean engineering
spellingShingle	TC Hydraulic engineering Ocean engineering Bebe Norlita, Mohamed. Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers
description	The extent of pollution at Santubong and Sarawak Rivers was determined by analyzing the geochemical biomarkers in the core sediments. The distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the core sediments was determined qualitatively and quantitatively while the distribution of sterols, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and phthalates was determined qualitatively. The core sediments were Soxhlet extracted for 12 hours using dichloromethane to obtain the geolipids. Subsequently, the geolipids were fractionated into 5 fractions using activated silica gel column chromatography. The aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions were analyzed on capillary gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) while polar fractions, FAMES, phthalate esters and alcohols, were analyzed on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Total organic matter in the core sediments from Santubong and Sarawak rivers varied from 3.44 - 7.07 % and 2.03 - 6.55 %, respectively. Core sediments from both rivers showed the presence of unresolved complex mixture eluting between Cis to C34. The total n-alkanes in core sediments from Santubong and Sarawak rivers ranged from 10.8 - 101.1 µg/g dw and 7.3 - 61.7 gg/g dw, respectively. Pristane/C17 and phytane/C18 suggest low degradation of aliphatic hydrocarbons. Biomarker indices of total n-alkanes indicated a mixture of inputs from both biogenic and petrogenic sources. Total PAHs in core sediments from Santubong and Sarawak rivers ranged from 0.8 - 2.5 µg/g dw and 0.7 - 6.7 µg/g dw, respectively. The PAHs ratios including fluoranthene/pyrene and benzo[ajanthracene/chrysene showed the PAHs originated from pyrolitic inputs. Both Santubong and Sarawak Rivers are considered moderately polluted with n-alkanes and PAHs of anthropogenic natures. Domination of short chain FAMEs 111 (< C2o) in core sediments from both rivers indicates planktonic sources of FAMES. Phthalate esters which are widely used as plasticizers were also detected in core sediments from both rivers. The core sediments from both rivers were also dominated by short chain alcohols and sterols (< C22) that indicates inputs from unspecified marine, terrestrial and bacterial origins.
format	Thesis
qualification_level	Master's degree
author	Bebe Norlita, Mohamed.
author_facet	Bebe Norlita, Mohamed.
author_sort	Bebe Norlita, Mohamed.
title	Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers
title_short	Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers
title_full	Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers
title_fullStr	Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers
title_full_unstemmed	Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers
title_sort	distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of santubong and sarawak rivers
granting_institution	Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)
granting_department	Faculty of Resource Science and Technology
publishDate	2009
url	http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/28263/1/Bebe%20Norlita%20binti%20Mohamed%20ft.pdf
_version_	1783728358780043264

Distribution of geochemical blomarkers in the core sediments of Santubong and Sarawak rivers

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