Particle sizes effect of the elements in the South China Sea sediment off Pahang coastal during the Northeast monsoon (pre-) and the Southwest monsoon (post-) periods

Abstract

The Pahang water determined an effect of the sizes of sediment particles on 11 elements distribution during the monsoon season. The elements were of very high concentration in a sediment particle size of 40, 63, and 90 µm. The lower concentration of the elements was associated with a sediment size of 125, 250, and 500 µm. It has been observed in this research study that a concentration of elements increases with a decrease in a size of the sediment particles. The sediment from the Northeast (pre-) monsoon consisted of a finer particle size than the Southwest (post-) monsoon sediments. Overall, the concentration of the elements in the Northeast (pre-) monsoon sediment was higher than the Southwest (post-) monsoon sediment. The Northeast monsoon is highly influenced due to an input of fresh sediment from the rivers into the South China Sea as well as, due to a redistribution in the surface sediment. There were many differences in sediment element content between the two monsoon seasons, but an anthropogenic impact was only found in lead (Pb).