Abstract—The concentrations of heavy metals (Sn, Pb, and Zn) were investigated in two sediment cores at Phuket bay, Phuket, Thailand. The analysis of heavy metal content was carried out by using aqua regia digestion and measured by using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The concentrations of Sn, Pb, and Zn were ranged from 49.9 to 167 mg kg-1, 9.6 to 58.7 mg kg-1 and 45.4 to 144 mg kg-1, respectively. The degree of pollution in sediments assessed by Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) indicated that the sediment samples in this study were either not contaminated or moderately contaminated with Zn and Pb (-1.40 to 0.26 and -1.24 to 0.97, respectively). In addition, the accumulation of heavy metals was evaluated using Enrichment Factor (EF) and the results showed that sediment samples are minimal to significant enrichment from anthropogenic activity (Pb and Zn: 1.6 to 6.2 and 2.1 to 6.9, respectively).
Index Terms—Accumulation, enrichment factor,
geo-accumulation, heavy metal, sediment.
Kaimook Jaileak is with the Faculty of Technology and Environment,
Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, Phuket 83120, Thailand
(e-mail: mook_km23@outlook.com).
Pensiri Akkajit is with Integrated Science and Technology Research
Center (Applied Chemistry/Environmental Management/Software
Engineering), Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, Phuket 83120,
Thailand; Faculty of Technology and Environment, Prince of Songkla
University, Phuket Campus; Research Program of Toxic Substance
Management in the Mining Industry, Center of Excellence on Hazardous
Substance Management (HSM), Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Research Unit of
Site Remediation on Metals Management from Industry and Mining (Site
Rem), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand (e-mail:
pensiri.a@phuket.psu.ac.th).
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Cite: Kaimook Jaileak and Pensiri Akkajit, "A Study of Heavy Metal Accumulation in Sediments at Phuket Bay, Saphan Hin, Phuket Province," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 9, no. 7, pp. 178-182, 2018.