Determination of linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) in mangrove ecosystems using the oyster Crassostrea belcheri as a biosensor

Sadeq Abdullah Abdo Alkhadher; Aeslina Abdul Kadir; Mohamad Pauzi Zakaria; Adel Al-Gheethi; Basim Hussain Mustafa Asghar

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111115

Determination of linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) in mangrove ecosystems using the oyster Crassostrea belcheri as a biosensor

Mar Pollut Bull. 2020 May:154:111115. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111115. Epub 2020 Apr 1.

Authors

Sadeq Abdullah Abdo Alkhadher¹, Aeslina Abdul Kadir², Mohamad Pauzi Zakaria³, Adel Al-Gheethi⁴, Basim Hussain Mustafa Asghar⁵

Affiliations

¹ Micro-pollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Cluster of Water and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. Electronic address: sadeq@uthm.edu.my.
² Micro-pollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Cluster of Water and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. Electronic address: aeslina@uthm.edu.my.
³ Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia.
⁴ Micro-pollutant Research Centre (MPRC), Cluster of Water and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia.
⁵ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

PMID: 32319929
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111115

Abstract

The current study aimed to develop a suitable molecular marker [Linear alkylbenzenes (LABs)] approach for pollution determination in mangrove oysters of peninsular Malaysia. C. belcheri species were collected from rivers of Merbok, Perai, Klang, Muar and PulauMerambong (An Island). The LABs were extracted from C. belcheri and determined using GC-MS. The LABs indices which included I/E, L/S and C13/C12 were applied to describe the sources and biodegradation of LABs. The results revealed that the maximum concentrations were detected in oysters from Klang (27.91 ng g^-1dw), while the lowest concentrations were detected in oysters from Merbok (8.12 ng g^-1dw). Moreover, I/E ratios varied between 2.83 and 6.40, indicating the secondary treatment effluents being discharged to coastal zones. The results of this study suggested that the oysters absorbed LABs mainly in dissolved phase. Therefore, mangrove oysters are a good biosensor for LABs contamination in the aquatic environment.

Keywords: Biosensor; C. belcheri; I/E ratio; LABs; Sewage pollution.

MeSH terms

Animals
Biosensing Techniques*
Crassostrea*
Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
Malaysia
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical