Occurrence of heavy metals and radionuclides in sediments and seawater in mangrove ecosystems in Pattani Bay, Thailand.

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystems in Pattani Bay, Thailand are considered representatives for monitoring the occurrence of anthropogenic and natural pollution due to metal and radionuclide contamination. Sediments and seawater were collected from five locations to determine metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Pb) and radionuclide (226Ra, 232Th, and 40K) concentrations. Spatial variations in metal and radionuclide concentrations were determined among the sampling sites. A geoaccumulation index (I geo ) and enrichment factor (EF) were used to classify the impacts of metals from anthropogenic point sources. Significant values for I geo and EF were measured for Pb in site 4 (I geo 0.65; EF 28.2) and Cd in site 1 (I geo 1.48; EF 46.2). EF values in almost all sampling sites were >1 which indicates anthropogenic pollution. To assess the potential public hazard of radioactivity, the average radium equivalent activity (Raeq), the external hazard index (H ex), the internal hazard index (H in), the absorbed dose rate in air (D), and the annual effective outdoor dose rate (E) were determined. Based on these measurements, it is concluded that the probability of human health risk from radionuclides is low. However, the absorbed dose in air (D) values in sites 4 and 5 were greater than the global average value of 55 nGy h-1, indicating that sediments in these locations pose a radiological hazard. The data obtained in this study provides useful information on metal and radionuclide background levels in mangrove sediments and seawater, and can be applied toward human health risk assessment and metal and radionuclide mapping.