Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia 2 (1) 2004
Heavy Metal Concentration in Body Walls of
Malaysian Sea CucumbersHAWA ISMAIL, PUNITHAMALAR, A., NOOR IBRAHIM MOHD SAKIAN
& RIDWAN BIN HASHIM
ABSTRAK
Kepekatan logam berat pada dinding tubuh dua spesies timun laut, Stichopus hermanni Semper and Holothuria atra Jaeger, dari perairan Pulau Pangkor, Perak dan Pulau Kapas, Terengganu telah diukur. Kepekatan Cd, Pb, Zn, dan Cu ditentukan selepas pencernaan asid, menggunakan spektrometer serapan atom. Kepekatan Hg telah ditentukan menggunakan spektrometer serapan atom wap sejuk. Aras Cd, Pb, dan Hg adalah lebih tinggi secara signifikan dalam dinding tubuh holothuroid dari Pulau Kapas berbanding holothuroid dari Pulau Pangkor (p < 0.05). Kandungan Pb dalam dinding tubuh kedua-dua spesies dari Pulau Kapas dan Pulau Pangkor didapati lebih tinggi dari aras yang dibenarkan dalam tubuh manusia. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa pembuangan sisa afluen industri tanpa kawalan dari Perak, Selangor dan Terengganu kemungkinan telah menyebabkan masalah pencemaran marin yang ketara termasuk juga pencemaran oleh logam berat, terutamanya Cd, Cu, Pb dan Zn.
Kata kunci: Stichopus hermanni Semper, Holothuria atra Jaeger, logam berat, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Hg, timun laut, holoturoid.
ABSTRACT
Concentrations of heavy metals were determined in the body walls of two species of sea cucumbers, Stichopus hermanni Semper and Holothuria atra Jaeger, obtained from the tidal waters off Pulau Pangkor, Perak and Pulau Kapas, Terengganu. The concentrations of Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu were determined after acid digestion by using atomic absorption spectrometer. Mercury concentration was determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometer. The levels of Cd, Pb, and Hg were significantly higher in the body walls of holothuroids from Pulau Kapas than from the same species from Pulau Pangkor (p < 0.05). The Pb content in the body walls of both the species from Pulau Kapas and Pulau Pangkor was found to be higher than the permissible level in the human body. The results obtained from our studies indicated that the uncontrolled dumping of industrial affluent from Perak, Selangor and Terengganu could possibly cause significant marine pollution problems which include heavy metal contamination, especially of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn.
Key words: Stichopus hermanni Semper, Holothuria atra Jaeger, heavy metals, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Hg, sea cucumber, holothuroids.