STEROL AS AN ANTHROPOGENIC MARKER IN SURFACE SEDIMENTS OF KAPAS ISLAND, TERENGGANU
Loading...
Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The International Seminar on the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea 2016
Abstract
Kapas Island is a little tropical island in the South China Sea which is well
known as one of the main tourist attractions located in Terengganu, Malaysia. This study
describes sterol distribution using sewage sterol data collected from surface sediments to
indicate the presence of anthropogenic effects on the coastal environment of Kapas Island.
Samples from a total of 15 sampling stations were collected, extracted and analysed using
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Terrestrial and sewage inputs of 7
sterol compounds were identifid to evaluate the impact of human disturbance in the marine
sediment. The results indicate that the concentrations of sterol compounds ranged from
6.19 µg/g (dry weight) to 9.88 µg/g (dry weight) in the surface sediments. Faecal sterol
content was used as a tool to identify sources of organic material by using the ratio between
faecal sterols and terrestrial input caused by anthropogenic effects as a means to evaluate
pollution levels and marine ecosystem stability. The results of the analyses indicated low
concentrations and ratios of sewage sterols. Most sediment in the study area contains low
levels of sewage contamination, which is probably due to the sand that characterizes the
sediment. Sandy sediments are less likely to retain organic material, thus resulting in low
concentrations of sterol compounds in the sediments. Nevertheless, the presence of sterol
compounds is an indication of the human imprint/presence at Kapas Island.
Description
Keywords
Sterol, Kapas Island, faecal sterol, sewage, GC-MS