Journal d'océanographie et de recherche marine
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Distribution and Source of Trace Elements in Marine Aerosol of Mersing, Johor, Malaysia

Sabuti AA and Mohamed CAR

Particulate matter samples with diameter less than 10 μm (PM10) were collected from the coastal area of Mersing, Johor Meteorological Station to investigate external sources of trace elements injected into the marine atmosphere. The concentrations of PM10 in the 47 samples for over two years of sampling period between January 2009 and December 2010 were ranged from 8 μg/m3 to 87 μg/m3, and a weak negative statistical correction (r=0.139) with daily rainfall were observed except for certain inter-monsoon period. While the concentration of trace elements such as Na, Ba, Al, K and Ca were classified as major metals ranging in concentration from 1 μg/m3 to 100 μg/m3. Other elements comprising Mg, Fe, Sr, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn and Ni were classified as intermediate metals with concentrations ranging from 1 ng/m3 to 1000 ng/m3. Also detected were Co and Cd, but these were classified as minor metals with concentration levels of less than 1 ng/m3. The fluctuate concentration levels of trace elements in PM10 also found at study area were directly corresponded to the source of particulate matters, but the concentration levels of particulate matters were influenced by monsoon events. Trace metal compositions in the PM10 and the PMF (positive matrix factorization) model have shown a significant presence of terrestrial soil sources especially the by-product of biomass burning (53%) together with terrestrial soil, crustal dust (34.9%), and mixture of anthropogenic sources (12%).