Assessment of Surface Coastal Water Quality in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia

Development of coastal area and economic activities has significant impact to marine water quality impairment. Kelantan and Terengganu nowadays have rapidly grown due to industrial, commercial and economic activities along it coastal area which they are located in eastern Part of Peninsular Malaysia. Samples of coastal water were collected from eight Sampling sites in the eastern part of Peninsular Malaysia for a period of three months from February 2013 to March 2013. Seven physicochemical parameters were measured directly in-situ while coastal water samples were collected and analysed for oil and grease (O&G) and five dissolved trace metals concentrations. The physicochemical parameters including temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, total dissolved (TDs), specific conductivity (SpC) and turbidity while dissolved trace metals were Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn) and Lead (Pb). The ranges for the physicochemical parameters were 26.96-31.02°C for temperature, 1.51-32.35ppt for salinity, 7.93-8.80 for pH, 0.2-48.56 µS/cm for SpC and 1.58-58.98 NTU for turbidity while the O&G was ranged 14.90- 47.30 and the dissolved metals were 0.012-0.060 mg/L for Cu, 0.023-0.2 mg/L for Cd, 0.02-011 mg/L for Zn, 0.023-0.341 mg/L for Fe and 0.021-0.105 mg/L for Pb. From four coastal along Kelantan coast, Pantai Sabak resulted top trace metals contamination with high loading of all dissolved trace metals concentrations while Pantai Kuala Kerteh was highest polluted site along the Terengganu coast. However, the concentration of all dissolved trace metal in this study were not exceeded the permissible limits by standards. Therefore, coastal areas need more attention for effective pollution control measures.

Keywords: Dissolved trace metals; physicochemical properties; water quality; Oil and Grease (O&G)