Occurrence and Assessment of Organic Pollutants Residues in the Aquatic Environment of the Coastal Sediments

Abstract

The current study aimed to monitor organic pollution on island and coastal environments using linear alkylbenzene (LAB). The aquatic environment is affected by the hazardous chemicals discharged through domestic and industrial waste. The distribution, composition, and sources of LABs in the sediments of Port Dickson coast and Pulau Merambong were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Chains ranging from long to short (L/S), C13/C12 homologs, and internal to external (I/E) congeners were used to define the degradation rate of LABs and the efficacy of wastewater treatment plants. The results of this study revealed that the concentration of LABs in the sites under investigation varied from 67.4 in Pulau Merambong to 255.8 ng g−1dw, in Port Dickson. The LAB homologs had a significant difference and a significant percentage of sampling stations had C13-LAB homologs. According to the determined LAB ratios (I/E), which ranged from 1.6 in Pulau Merambong to 4.1 in Port Dickson, treated effluents from primary and secondary inputs are being introduced into the aquatic ecosystem of these areas. The degradation of LABs was up to 64% in the interrogated locations. The conclusion is that the wastewater treatment system needs to be improved, and that LAB molecular markers are highly effective in tracing anthropogenic sewage contamination.

Assessment of Sewage Molecular Markers: Linear Alkylbenzenes in Sediments of an Industrialized Region in Peninsular Malaysia

“…This enhances their sorption and partitioning into sediment matrices, making them more likely to be retained in the sediments over time. LC-LABs also might undergo slower degradation or transformation processes due to their larger size and more complex structure [53,54]. The PDC sediments contained the highest concentration of C 13 -LABs homologs while having the lowest levels of C 10 homologs when compared with all other sites in the region.…”

“…This enhances their sorption and partitioning into sediment matrices, making them more likely to be retained in the sediments over time. LC-LABs also might undergo slower degradation or transformation processes due to their larger size and more complex structure [53,54].…”

Unlocking the Secrets of River Pollution: Analyzing Organic Pollutants in Sediments—Experimental Study

“…During the 1960s, LAB became the preferred chemical for detergent production, as it offered better biodegradability and affordability compared to branching alkylbenzenes [24]. Due to insufficient sulfonation, LABs are released into the marine environment in a large amount of non-treated household and industrial wastewater [25,26]. Thus, LABs are commonly used as indicators of anthropogenic pollution due to their strong and persistent affinity for industrial effluents [17].…”

“…The sediment particles have similar characteristics to LAB species such as hydrophobicity and high affinity to sediments and suspended particles. Therefore, the sediment analysis has certain advantages over the other environmental media [19,25]. On the other hand, the cost of the LAB analysis process, transportation and sample-keeping may be major issues.…”