MONTHLY VARIATIONS IN ARSENIC,

CADMIUM AND LEAD CONCENTRATIONS

OF THE BROWN ALGAE, Sargassum
stolonfolium FROM BATU FERRINGGHI,
PENANG, MALAYSIA
Omar Ahmad1 and Misni Surif1&2

1.Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), 11800

Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
2.School of Distance Learning, 11800 Universiti Sains Malaysia,
Penang, Malaysia
 INTRODUCTION
 Biomonitoring: mean of assessing relative
contamination of marine ecosystems (Roberts et al.
(2008)
Usage of macroalgae as biomonitors of heavy metals
-Bryan and Hummerstone (1973), Rai et al. (1981)
Rainbow and Phillips (1993), Brown et al. (1999),
Phang and Murugadas (2004)
Macroalgae: Sedentary
- able to accumulate and tolerate high
levels of heavy metals
INTRODUCTION
 Phaeophyta (Brown algae) – good and efficient
biomonitors
(Culinane, 1987, Amado Fillo et al, 1999)
Davis et al. (2003) – most effective for biosorption
Fucus vesiculosus. Fucus serratus, Ascophyllum
nodosus
Trophics – Sargassum spp
Tagawa and Kojima, (1976), Ganesan et al. (1991),
Kureishy (1991), Ramachandran et al. (1994), Mazlin
et
al. (1997), Phang and Murugadas (2004)
INTRODUCTION
 Single ‘one off’ collection
Not viable to evaluate temporal trend
None yet address temporal trend in Malaysia

OBJECTIVES
1. Determine temporal variations of arsenic,
cadmium and lead concentrations in S.
stolonifolium
2. lamina or stem accumulate more
3. correlation between concentration and length
classes
MATERIALS AND METHOD
2.1 Sampling location
CEMACS

Batu
Ferringghi

USM
2.2 Sample Collection and Treatment
> 10 healthy looking similar length (5-10 cm) collected
during low tide
3 replicates from various locations
 cleaned and rinsed with ambient seawater
Packed in acid washed plastic bags
Additional samples collected for various length classes
in
October and November 2005
Rinsed with ultra-pure water
Lamina and stem separated
Dried at 105°C
Water temperature, Salinity, Conductivity, pH, Total
Suspended Solids, Total Dissolved Solids
2.3 Sample Analysis
Samples grounded, stored in PE bottles
0.25 g digested in Teflon vessels
5.0 ml Ultra-pure nitric acid + 1ml Hydrogen Peroxide
Digested in ETHOS 900 Microwave Digestor
Reagent blanks and Certified Reference Material
BCR No. 279 – Ulva lactula
Volume adjusted to 25 ml
Samples analysed by Graphite Furnace Atomic
Absorption
Spectrophotometer (SIMAA 6000 Perkin Elmer)
Performance check
Results expressed as dry weight (ug/g)
 RESULTS

Metal BCR 279 (Ulva lactula) (μg/g dry weight)

Certified Found

Arsenic 3.09 ± 0.20 3.45 ± 0.55

Cadmium 0.274 ± 0.002 0.295 ± 0.116

Lead 13.48 ± 0.36 14.27 ± 1.57

Table 1: Results of Certified Reference Materials
(mean ± SD)
RESULTS
Month Temperature Conductivity Salinity pH
(ºC) (mS) (‰)
Jun 2005 30.1 ± 0.1 49.80 ± 0.15 31.6 ± 0.2 7.40 ± 0.05
July2005 30.2 ± 0.1 48.96 ± 0.20 31.5 ± 0.3 7.29 ± 0.03
August 2005 30.1 ± 0.1 49.43 ± 0.19 31.4 ± 0.2 7.39 ± 0.04
September 29.7 ± 0.2 48.71 ± 0.14 31.6 ± 0.3 7.41 ± 0.05
2005
October 2005 29.6 ± 0.1 48.47 ± 0.12 31.5 ± 0.3 7.24 ± 0.04
November 2005 29.5 ± 0.1 47.44 ± 0.13 30.9 ± 0.2 7.23 ± 0.05
December 2005 29.5 ± 0.1 47.85 ± 0.19 29.0 ± 0.2 7.35 ± 0.02
January2006 29.5 ± 0.2 47.84 ± 0.13 30.3 ± 0.1 7.52 ± 0.01
February2006 29.6 ± 0.3 47.60 ± 0.12 30.2 ± 0.2 7.53 ± 0.01
March 2006 29.5 ± 0.1 47.50 ± 0.25 30.0 ± 0.2 7.51 ± 0.02
April 2006 29.7 ± 0.2 46.90 ± 0.20 29.9 ± 0.2 7.42 ± 0.02
May 2006 29.8 ± 0.2 49.80 ± 0.15 30.9 ± 0.1 7.43 ± 0.01

Table 2: Physico-chemical parameter at collection sites

RESULTS
Month Total Suspended Solids Total Dissolved solids
(mg/L) (x103 mg/L)

Jun 2005 68.67 ± 18.77 49.44 ± 8.67

July 2005 97.33 ± 8.50 52.67 ± 5.59
August 2005 91.33 ± 7.57 52.62 ± 11.16
September 2005 144.00 ± 23.00 45.05 ± 12.50

October 2005 110.67 ± 14.57 37.13 ± 3.91

November 2005 76.66 ± 11.52 56.67 ± 10.35
December 2005 85.67 ± 9.45 47.77 ± 6.59
Januari 2006 82.00 ± 10.15 39.48 ± 4.21
February 2006 100.67 ± 6.66 49.88 ± 12.84
March 2006 87.33 ± 6.67 62.12 ± 3.18
April 2006 117.00 ± 7.00 55.71 ± 9.42
May 2006 104.00 ± 7.55 55.44 ± 9.09

Table 2: Physico-chemical parameter at collection sites

 RESULTS
70

60

50
Concentration (ug/g)

40
lamina
stem
30

20

10

0
Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Month

Figure 1: Mean monthly variations of arsenic concentrations (μg/g dry weight) in the
lamina and stem of Sargassum stolonifolium from June 2005 to May 2006
 RESULTS
5

4.5

4 lamina
stem
3.5
Concentration (ug/g)

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Month

Figure 2: Mean monthly variations of cadmium concentrations (μg/g dry weight) in the
lamina and stem of Sargassum stolonifolium from June 2005 to May 2006
 RESULTS
12

10
Concentration (ug/g)

lamina
6
stem

0
Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Month
Figure 3: Mean monthly variations of lead concentrations (μg/g dry weight) in the
lamina and stem of Sargassum stolonifolium from June 2005 to May 2006
RESULTS
Length Arsenic Cadmium Lead
(cm) (μg/g dry weight) (μg/g dry weight (μg/g dry weight)
5 28.61 ± 2.82 2.41 ± 0.07 8.91 ± 0.61

10 37.57 ± 1.14 2.27 ± 0.05 7.33 ± 0.51

15 36.20 ± 3.54 2.21 ± 0.14 7.41 ± 0.35

20 38.64 ± 0.91 1.10 ± 0.05 7.36 ± 0.44

25 37.84 ± 1.46 1.26 ± 0.04 5.01 ± 0.85

30 36.24 ± 0.54 1.28 ± 0.08 6.70 ± 1.62

35 45.36 ± 1.44 1.97 ± 0.35 3.87 ± 0.13

40 44.45 ± 0.38 1.17 ± 0.09 2.60 ± 0.40

45 41. 05 ± 1.01 1.12 ± 0.40 3.31 ± 0.59

50 48.42 ± 0.69 1.39 ± 0.30 3.41 ± 0.19

55 50.28 ± 2.46 1.23 ± 0.08 4.96 ± 0.50

60 52.20 ± 1.69 1.69 ± 0.48 4.92 ± 0.62

Table
653: The concentration
49.12of±arsenic,
0.94 cadmium and lead 1.27
of ± 0.38 6.18 ± 0.90
S. stolonifolium of various size classes
r2 + 0.92 - 0.57 - 0.64
DISCUSSION
Factors influencing metal uptake in seaweeds:
(Phang & Murugadas, 2004; Brown et al., 1999; Rai et
al., 1981)
- Growth rates ( & age)
- Temperature
- Light
- Salinity
- ph
- Position on shore
- Water turbidity
- Nutrient supply
- Metabolism
- Metals interaction
DISCUSSION
Table 4: Selected references of metal concentrations (μg/g dry weight) of
various Sargassum spp. (mean values and ranges).

Species Locality Arsenic Cadmium Lead Reference

S. stolonifolium Penang, 20-60 1.0 – 3.8 5.0-9.0 This study

Malaysia
Tagawa &
S. thunbergii Yamaguchi 66 -194 Kojima (1976)
Bay, Japan

S. grevillei Penang, 6.4 5.2 Sivalingam

Malaysia (1978)

S. binderi Qatar coast 0.2-0.6 0.8-2.1 Kureishy

(1991)
S. bovenum Qatar coast 0.2-0.4 1.6-7.3 Kureishy
(1991)
DISCUSSION
Species Locality Arsenic Cadmium Lead Reference

S. Qatar coast 0.5-0.6 0.8-2.1 Kureishy (1991)

heteromorphum

S. baccularia Negeri 2.5 8.5 Ramachandran et

Sembilan, al. (1994)
Malaysia

S. siliquosum Negeri 1.5 5.0 Ramachandran et

Sembilan, al. (1994)
Malaysia

Melaka, 1.0 9.0 Ramachandran et

Malaysia al. (1994)

S. stenophyllum Sepetiba 0.3-2.01 Amado Filho

Bay, Brazil (1999)

Sargassum sp. Aegean Sea, 0.07 0.02 Sawadis et al.

Greece (2001)
DISCUSSION
• Complex interactions
- monsoons, growth rate, age, metal uptake
- no adequate explaination
- problems of uniformity
- meaningful comparison ?
- ‘best biomonitor’ ?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
1.Universiti Sains Malaysia Short Term Grant
(305/PPANTAI/622151)
2. Director, CEMACS
3. Director, Pusat Racun Negara