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Heavy Metals in Feathers and Eggshells of Seabirds from Terengganu
Alya Syakirin binti Hisham
Supervisor: Dr. Abdulmaula Abdulmagid Hamza
Bachelor of Science (Marine Science)
School of Marine and Environmental Sciences
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
In recent years, pollution of heavy metals have increases due to the anthropogenic
activities such as industry activities which includes the disposal of hazardous waste,
mine discharges, vehicular emissions, incineration and combustion of coal. In this
study, concentrations of zinc, cadmium, copper, mercury, selenium and lead were
examined in the feathers and eggshells of two different seabirds which are blacknaped
tern (Sterna sumantrana) and birdled tern (Onychoprion anaethetus) from
Pulau Redang and Pulau Tokong Burung Besar to determine the (1) heavy metal levels
in the feathers and eggshells of the two island, (2) differences of metal levels of
feathers and eggshells between the two islands. Feathers and eggshells were collected
from live nestlings or birds that were catched on the ground or from the freshly dead
birds found in the colony. Mercury (Hg), selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc
(Zn), copper (Cu) were analysed by inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
1857 | UMT UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DAY 2018