Fractionation of rare earth elements in surface sediment of Peninsular Malaysia coastal waters

• Main Authors: Miskon, Mohd Fuad, Faudzi, Fikriah, Kamaruzzaman, Yunus, M. Rahman, Mokhlesur, Nik Ali, Nik Nurizni
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English
• Published: Chemical Publishing Co. 2020
• Subjects: QD Chemistry; QE Geology; TD172 Environmental pollution
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/87146/1/Fractionation%20of%20Rare%20Earth%20Elements%20in%20Surface%20Sediment%20of%20Peninsular%20Malaysia%20Coastal%20Waters.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/87146/9/87146_Fractionation%20of%20rare%20earth%20elements_Scopus.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/87146/; http://www.asianjournalofchemistry.co.in/Home.aspx; https://doi.org/10.14233/ajchem.2021.22974
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

The environmental fate of rare earth elements (REEs) in the Malaysian environment is limitedly known; however, industrial emission is increasing. This study focused on the REE assessment of the surface sediments obtained from rocky shore ecosystems along the Peninsular Malaysia coastal waters, on deliberating interspatial variability, and on describing their partitioning. Samples were treated with the Teflon Bomb technique, and the concentration of 14 natural REEs was measured through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP- MS). Through quality control practices, the results were verified by employing a standard reference material BCR 667. The tendency of REE distribution was the most mutual property of particular places worldwide and in Malaysia. Among REEs present in sediment, strong correlations were observed, which indicated REEs they behave coherently to each other in different processes of geochemical fractionation. The contaminant metals, namely manganese, arsenic, cadmium and copper, were strongly correlated with REEs (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05); hence, these metals may be nonanthropogenic in origin because REEs are geogenic in origin. The enrichment factor (EF) values of the comparative results were divided by the region-specified deficiency to minimal enrichment in all the regions, except in the east coast region, which presented considerable enrichment, suggesting a probability of discharge of the anthropogenic effluent. The results of the analysis normalized to chondrite presented patterns of low atomic weight rare earth elements (LREEs) enrichment, gradual downward pattern and depletion through high atomic weight rare earth elements (HREEs) concentrations.