Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia, Volume 80, November 2025, pp. 95 – 105
A baseline study of heavy metals composition in the marine sediment of Pulau Layang-Layang, Malaysia
Ling Sin Yi1,2, Junaidi Asis1, Zulherry Isnain1,2, Hardianshah Salleh1, Mohd Harun Abdullah1,2, Baba Musta*,1,2
1 Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
2 Small Island Research Centre, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
* Corresponding author email address: babamus@ums.edu.my
Abstract: This study establishes comprehensive benchmark data regarding the heavy metal composition in surface marine sediments of Pulau Layang-Layang, Malaysia. Analysis of sediment samples utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a predominance of biogenic carbonate materials. Total metal concentrations determined through inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) demonstrated a decreasing order of mean values: Ca (384,286 mg/kg) > Mg (10,733 mg/kg) > Na (9,700 mg/kg) > Sr (5,317 mg/kg) > K (474.14 mg/kg) > Fe (343.39 mg/kg) > Al (88.0 mg/kg) > Mn (15.60 mg/kg) > Zn (6.56 mg/kg) > As (3.53 mg/kg) > Cr (3.41 mg/kg) > Ni (1.22 mg/kg). Multivariate statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), identified natural sources as the primary contributors to the metal content in the sediments. The heavy metal concentrations remained consistently below the effects range limits (ERL/ERM) established by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Screening Quick Reference Tables (SQuiRTs), indicating no risk of adverse biological effects. The sediment quality guidelines further suggested that the marine ecosystem maintains its health, with all sampling points exhibiting safe heavy metal levels. Consequently, this baseline study serves as a crucial reference for future monitoring and comparisons of heavy metal contents with other Bornean sedimentary islands or along Malaysia’s coastline.
Keywords: Heavy metals, Pearson Correlation Matrix, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, sediment quality guideline, baseline study
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Manuscript received 13 June 2024;
Received in revised form 22 September 2024;
Accepted 20 February 2025
Available online 28 November 2025
https://doi.org/10.7186/bgsm80202507
0126-6187; 2637-109X / Published by the Geological Society of Malaysia.
© 2025 by the Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) License 4.0.
