Assessment of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners in Surface Waters of Langkawi Island, Malaysia

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) are one of the organic pollutants that were banned in Malaysia because of their toxicity. However, due to their resistant and lipophilic nature, they still detected and posed risks to aquatic animals and human health. The present study is conducted to comprehensively investigate the levels and ecological risks of PCBs in the seawater of Langkawi Island. The unfiltered water samples were collected from five stations around the Geopark and Tourist Island, extracted, and cleaned according to the USEPA method 3510C and 3630C. The PCB congeners, 19 compounds, were analyzed by GC-µECD (Agilent). The total concentrations of PCBs in water samples ranged between 188 and 291 ng/L (mean 222 ±35.6 ng/L). A particularly high concentration of PCBs was detected in Langkawi port station due to its location as the point that receives raw materials as well as chemicals products and cement export. The occurrence of these compounds in Langkawi Island can be attributed mainly to transboundary pollution, wet deposition, and leakage of lubricant oil from boats and/or dumping sites. Compared to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) guideline, the study results do not pose any health risks to aquatic life, human health, or economic loss.