Sains
Malaysiana 47(4)(2018): 651-659
http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2018-4704-02
Distribution and Behaviour of Nitrogen
Compounds in the Surface Water of Sungai Terengganu Estuary, Southern
Waters of South China Sea, Malaysia
(Taburan
dan Perlakuan Sebatian Nitrogen di Permukaan Air Muara Sungai Terengganu,
Perairan Selatan Laut China Selatan, Malaysia)
SUHAIMI
SURATMAN1,2*, AZYYATI ABDUL AZIZ11, NORHAYATI
MOHD TAHIR1,2
& LEE
HIN LEE3
1Institute of Oceanography
and Environment, Universiti Malaysia
Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul Iman Malaysia
2Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development,
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu,
21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu Darul
Iman, Malaysia
3School of Marine and Environment Sciences, Universiti Malaysia
Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus,
Terengganu Darul Iman Malaysia
4Water Quality and Environment Research Centre, National
Hydraulic Research Institute for Malaysia, 43300 Seri Kembangan,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Diserahkan:
30 Disember 2016/Diterima: 27
Oktober 2017
ABSTRACT
A study
was carried out
to determine the distribution and
behaviour of nitrogen (N)
compounds (nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, dissolved
and particulate organic nitrogen)
in Sungai Terengganu estuary
(TRE). Surface water
samples were collected
during ebb neap and spring
tides for the longitudinal survey along the salinity gradient.
The results indicated
that all N compounds behave non-conservatively with
addition during
both tidal cycles,
except for nitrate
which exhibited removal behaviour during spring tide.
In general, higher
concentration of N compounds was
observed during
spring tide compared
to neap tide. It is suggested that during spring tide, stronger
water turbulence resulted in resuspension of nutrients in bottom sediment
and lead to the increase
in N compounds concentrations in the surface
water. The diurnal survey
for the freshwater station
showed that the
concentrations of N compounds follow the ebb
and flood
variations, whereas
for the coastal station
the reverse trend
was observed. Comparisons with a previous
study under similar
tidal conditions show there was an increase in nitrite and
ammonia concentrations in TRE, which was probably due to increase
in discharge from the rapid development activities around this area.
In addition, the presence of a breakwater at the lower part of the
estuary may also contribute to the high nutrient content in the
estuary due to restricted outflow of nutrients to the coastal area.
Overall, the results from this study highlighted the importance
of monitoring the N compounds for future protection of the estuary.
Keywords:
Distribution and behaviour; nitrogen compounds; spring-neap tides;
Sungai Terengganu estuary; surface water
ABSTRAK
Suatu kajian
telah dijalankan untuk
menentukan taburan
dan perlakuan sebatian
nitrogen (N) (nitrit,
nitrat, ammonia,
nitrogen organik terlarut dan partikulat) di muara Sungai Terengganu
(TRE). Sampel permukaan air telah diambil sepanjang cerun
saliniti ketika air surut semasa pasang-surut perbani dan purnama.
Keputusan kajian menunjukkan semua sebatian N berkelakuan tidak
konservatif iaitu tambahan untuk kedua-dua kitaran pasang-surut,
kecuali nitrat yang menunjukkan perlakuan singkiran
semasa pasang-surut purnama.
Secara umumnya, kepekatan sebatian N adalah tinggi semasa pasang-surut purnama
berbanding pasang-surut perbani. Adalah dicadangkan semasa pasang-surut
purnama, berlakunya kegeloraan air yang kuat menyebabkan nutrien
dalam sedimen di dasar sungai akan terampai dan seterusnya meninggikan
kepekatan sebatian N di permukaan air.
Persampelan diurnal untuk stesen air tawar menunjukkan kepekatan
sebatian N mengikut variasi air pasang dan surut, manakala untuk
stesen di kawasan pantai, corak yang
bertentangan adalah
diperhatikan. Perbandingan dengan
kajian terdahulu di kawasan dan
keadaan pasang- surut yang sama, menunjukkan terdapatnya peningkatan kepekatan
nitrit dan ammonia
di TRE yang mungkin disebabkan bertambahnya pembuangan daripada aktiviti-aktiviti pembangunan yang pesat di
sekitar kawasan
kajian. Tambahan
lagi, kehadiran benteng pemecah ombak di kawasan hilir muara
mungkin turut menyumbang kepada tingginya kandungan nutrien di dalam muara
disebabkan pergerakan keluar
nutrien ke kawasan
pantai yang terhad.
Secara keseluruhannya,
keputusan daripada kajian ini menekankan kepentingan pemantauan
sebatian N untuk pemeliharaan muara sungai pada masa
hadapan.
Kata kunci:
Muara Sungai Terengganu; pasang
surut perbani-purnama; permukaan air; sebatian
nitrogen; taburan dan perlakuan
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*Pengarang untuk
surat-menyurat; email: miman@umt.edu.my
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