Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 18 No 1 (2014): 170 – 177

 

 

 

STUDY OF RADIONUCLIDES LINKAGES BETWEEN FISH, WATER AND SEDIMENT IN FORMER TIN MINING LAKE IN KAMPUNG GAJAH, PERAK, MALAYSIA

 

(Kajian Mengenai Hubungan Radionuklid di antara Ikan, Air, dan Sedimen dalam Tasik Bekas Lombong di Kampung Gajah, Perak, Malaysia)

 

Ahmad Saat ^1,2, Norannisak Muhd Isak¹*, Zaini Hamzah¹, Ab Khalik Wood¹

 

¹Faculty of Applied Sciences,

²International Education Centre (INTEC),

Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40200 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: nysa_chy@yahoo.com

 

 

Abstract

Tin mining activities not only released metal contaminants into environment, but also radionuclides into the native soil and sediment. There is a possibility that radionuclides be transferred between sediment, water and biota as a result of exchanges between them through biological, physical and chemical processes. Fishes from former tin mining lakes in Kampung Gajah, have become main sources of protein supplies and economic profit to the local resident. The present study is to determine linkages between activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in biota (fish), water and sediment in one of the former tin mining lake. The study involved analysis of radionuclides in water, edible part of fish and sediment. Filtered and unfiltered water samples collected from the study area were filled into marinelli beakers, sealed and count using gamma spectrometry. Fish and sediment samples prior to measurement were dried, grind and sieved through 250 µm and kept in special container for measurement of radionuclides activity concentration using gamma spectrometry. The range of transfer ratio of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ⁴⁰K from unfiltered water samples to fish are 1.95 to 3.42, 0.86 to 2.70 and 12.63 to 18.69, while, for sediment to fish are from 1.30 to 2.27 x 10^-2, 0.43 to 1.13 x 10^-2 and 9.08 to 13.45 x 10^-2 , respectively.   Transfer ratio of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ⁴⁰K from sediment to unfiltered water is 7.00 x 10^-3, 4.26 x 10^-3 and 7.30 x 10^-3, respectively. This present study shows that there is transfer for radionuclides from water to fish, sediment to fish and lastly sediment to water column.

 

Keywords: radionuclides, sediment, water, fish, tin mining lake, gamma spectrometry

 

References

1.       Yap, K., M., (2007). Tin Mining in Malaysia- Is There any Revival?. Bulletin Jurutera. 12-18.

2.       Hamzah, Z, Saat, A., Abu Bakar Z and Wood, A. K. (2011). Anthropogenic Heavy Metals, U-238 and Th-232 Profiles in Sediments from an Abandoned Tin Mining Lake in Malaysia. Proceeding of 2011 3rd International Conference on Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Singapore. 20: 75-79.

3.       Yusof , A., M., Mahat, M., N., Omar A, N. and. Wood A., K., H. (2001). Water Quality Studies in an Aquatic Environment of Disused Tin-Mining Pools and in Drinking Water. Ecological Engineering; 16: 405–414.

4.       Yasir, M. S. Ahmad Kabir, N., Yahaya R. and Majid, A. A. (2008). Kandungan logam berat dan radionuclide tabii di dalam ikan, air, tumbuhan dan sedimen di bekas lombong. The Malaysia Journal Analytical Science. 12 (1): 172-178.

5.       Hamzah, Z., Saat, A., Mashuri, N. H., and Redzuan, S. D. (2008). Surface Radiation Dose and Radionuclide Measurement in Ex-Tin Mining Aerea, Kg. Gajah, Perak. The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Science. 12 (2): 419-431.

6.       Marlinda Musa, (2008). Thesis of Metals and Radionuclides Uptake by Ottelia Alismoides Collected from the Ex-Mining Area in Kg. Gajah, Perak. 1-13.

7.       Suresh G., Ramasamy V., Meenakshisundaram V., Venkatachalapathy R.and Ponnusamy V., (2011). Influence of mineralogical and heavy metal composition on natural radionuclide concentrations in the river sediments. Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 69: 1466-1474.

8.       Nwabueze A., A., (2010). Levels of Some Heavy Metals in Tissues of Bonga Fish, Ethmallosa fimbriata(Bowdich, 1825) from Forcados River. Journal of Applied Environmental and Biological Sciences. 1 (3): 44-47.

9.       Hamzah, Z., Saat A. and Kassim, M. (2011). Determination of Radon Activity Concentration in Hot Spring and Surface Water using Gamma Spectrometry Technique. The Malaysian Journal Of Analytical Sciences. 15 (2): 288–294.

10.    Hamzah, Z., Redzuan S. D. and Saat A. (2011b). Determination of Sediment Profile for ²¹⁰Pb, Pb, U and Th from Sultan Abu Bakar Dam Due to Soil Erosion from Highland Agriculture Area, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. American Journal of Environmental Sciences. 7(3): 263-268.

11.    Hamzah, Z., Redzuan S. D. and Saat A.  (2011). Assessment of Radiation Health Risk in Cameron Highlands Tea Plantations. The Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences 15: 130 –137.

12.    Hamzah, Z., Alias, M., Saat, A. and Ishak, A. K. (2011). Measurement of Some Water Quality ParametersRelated to Natural Radionuclides in Aqueous Environmental Samples from Former Tin Mining Lake. Journal of Nuclear and Related Technologies.8 (2): 49-59.

13.    DOE (2008). National Water Quality Standards for Malaysia. Retrieved November 3, 2013, from http://www.nahrim.gov.my.

14.    Handbook of Parameter Values for the Prediction Of Radionuclide Transfer in Terrestrial and Freshwater Environments International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna, (2010).Technical Reports Series No. 472: 117-131.

15.    Ramasamy, V., Suresh, G., Meenakshisundaram, V. and Gajendran, V. (2009). Evaluation of Natural Radionuclide Content in River sediments and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk Due to Gamma Radioactivity. 1 (1): 6-10.

16.    Sediment Distribution Coefficients and Concentration Factors for Biota in the Marine Environment. Technical Reports Series No.422: 8-25.