Chemometric techniques in distribution, characterisation and source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) in aquaculture sediments in Malaysia

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2013-04, Vol.69 (1-2), p.55-66
• Main Authors: Retnam, Ananthy, Zakaria, Mohamad Pauzi, Juahir, Hafizan, Aris, Ahmad Zaharin, Zali, Munirah Abdul, Kasim, Mohd Fadhil
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Aquaculture; Biological and medical sciences; biomass; Biomass burning; Chemometric; Chemometrics; Combustion; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; emission; emissions; Emissions from vehicles; Environmental Monitoring - methods; forensic sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; General aspects; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; linear models; Malaysia; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; oils; PAHs; Pollution abatement; Pollution sources; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; sampling; Sea water ecosystems; sediment; Sediments; silica gel; Source apportionment; Surface sediment; Synecology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; water pollution; Water Pollution, Chemical - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.01.009

► PAHs contamination in aquaculture sites ranged from low to moderately high. ► PAHs in fish farms significantly different than oyster farms. ► Sampling sites were grouped according to contamination levels. ► Land based pollution from vehicle emission predominated PAHs. ► Chemomteric techniques provided objective data interpretation and data reduction. This study investigated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution in surface sediments within aquaculture areas in Peninsular Malaysia using chemometric techniques, forensics and univariate methods. The samples were analysed using soxhlet extraction, silica gel column clean-up and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The total PAH concentrations ranged from 20 to 1841ng/g with a mean of 363ng/gdw. The application of chemometric techniques enabled clustering and discrimination of the aquaculture sediments into four groups according to the contamination levels. A combination of chemometric and molecular indices was used to identify the sources of PAHs, which could be attributed to vehicle emissions, oil combustion and biomass combustion. Source apportionment using absolute principle component scores–multiple linear regression showed that the main sources of PAHs are vehicle emissions 54%, oil 37% and biomass combustion 9%. Land-based pollution from vehicle emissions is the predominant contributor of PAHs in the aquaculture sediments of Peninsular Malaysia.