Distribution of Selected Heavy Metals in Sediment of the River Basin of Coastal Area of Chanthaburi Province, Gulf of Thailand

• Main Authors: Jakkapan Potipat, Nongnutch Tangkrock-olan, Herbert F. Helander
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thai Society of Higher Eduction Institutes on Environment 2015-01-01
• Series: EnvironmentAsia
• Subjects: heavy metals; geoaccumulation index (Igeo); enrichment factor (EF); Chanthaburi Province
• Online Access: http://www.tshe.org/ea/pdf/vol8no1-16.pdf

The sediment samples from 24 stations in coastal area of Chanthaburi Province were collected during March 2012 to March 2013 and analyzed for heavy metal contents (Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe, Cu and Zn), pH, organic matters and grain sizes. The correlation analyses showed that heavy metal concentrations were affected by the content of organic matter and the size of clay particles. The evaluation of the quality of sediment was carried out using the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and the enrichment factor (EF) as well as the comparison with those in the Thailand's sediment quality guideline (SQG) values. The results of the geoaccumulation index and the enrichment factor values of the heavy metals content in the sediments revealed that the study area was unpolluted and not enriched, respectively. The relationship between the heavy metals concentration and the organic matter, and the clay particle was proposed by using the multiple regression equations.