Sains Malaysiana 54(8)(2025): 1973-1984

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2025-5408-08

 

PM2.5-Bound Trace Metals within Vicinity of a Coal-Fired Power Plant: Source Apportionment and Health Risk Assessment

(Logam Surih Terikat PM2.5 dalam Persekitaran Loji Janakuasa Arang Batu: Pembahagian Sumber dan Penilaian Risiko Kesihatan)

 

SUFIAN ABD RAHMAN1, MUHAMMAD IKRAM A WAHAB1, NOR FADILAH RAJAB3,* , MOHD TALIB LATIF2 & MAZRURA SAHANI1

 

1Centre for Toxicology and Health Risk Studies (CORE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

3Centre for Healthy Aging and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Received: 16 December 2024/Accepted: 18 June 2025

 

Abstract

A coal-fired power plant is an industry known for its environmental health effects due to emissions containing pollutants like PM2.5. Studies show PM2.5 contains multiple hazardous pollutants, including metals. This study was conducted in Klang, Malaysia, to assess the concentration of trace metals in PM2.5 near a coal-fired power plant, identify their sources, and evaluate human health risks. The average PM2.5 concentration was 14.42 ± 8.7 µg/m³, with maximum levels (43.15 µg/m³) exceeding the Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Standard. PM2.5 samples were collected from June to November 2018 and extracted using sonication in ultrapure water. Eighteen trace metals were analysed using ICP-MS, and the results were used for Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for source identification. PCA showed that the trace metals originated from sea salt and biomass burning (37%), coal combustion and vehicular emissions (34%), oil combustion (17%), and soil dust (12%). A health risk assessment (HRA) for selected metals indicated that carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were generally within acceptable limits. However, the Hazard Quotient (HQ) for nickel exceeded the acceptable limit at one point (HQmax = 2.24). A limitation of this study is that its sampling period was confined to the southwest monsoon and intermonsoon seasons, so the findings may not be representative of the entire year. The findings highlight the importance of managing industrial emissions to improve air quality, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals for Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7) and Climate Action (SDG 13).

Keywords: HRA; power plant; PM2.5; source apportionment

 

Abstrak

Stesen jana kuasa arang batu adalah industri yang dikenali dengan kesan terhadap kesihatan persekitaran akibat pelepasan yang mengandungi bahan pencemar seperti PM2.5. Kajian menunjukkan PM2.5 mengandungi pelbagai bahan pencemar berbahaya, termasuk logam. Kajian ini dijalankan di Klang, Malaysia, untuk menilai kepekatan logam surih dalam PM2.5 berhampiran stesen jana kuasa arang batu, mengenal pasti puncanya dan menilai risiko kesihatan manusia. Purata kepekatan PM2.5 adalah 14.42 ± 8.7 µg/m³, dengan tahap maksimum (43.15 µg/m³) melebihi Piawai Kualiti Udara Ambien Malaysia. Sampel PM2.5 dikumpulkan dari Jun hingga November 2018 dan diekstrak menggunakan kaedah sonikasi dalam air ultratulen. Lapan belas logam surih dianalisis menggunakan ICP-MS dan hasilnya digunakan untuk Analisis Komponen Utama (PCA) bagi mengenal pasti punca. PCA menunjukkan bahawa logam surih berpunca daripada garam laut dan pembakaran biojisim (37%), pembakaran arang batu dan pelepasan kenderaan (34%), pembakaran minyak (17%) dan habuk tanih (12%). Penilaian risiko kesihatan (HRA) untuk logam terpilih menunjukkan bahawa risiko karsinogenik dan bukan karsinogenik secara amnya berada dalam had yang boleh diterima. Walau bagaimanapun, Darjah Bahaya (HQ) untuk nikel melebihi had yang boleh diterima pada satu ketika (HQmaks = 2.24). Satu batasan kajian ini ialah tempoh pensampelannya terhad kepada musim monsun barat daya dan antara monsun, justeru keputusan ini mungkin tidak mewakili keseluruhan tahun. Keputusan kajian ini juga menekankan kepentingan pengurusan pelepasan industri untuk meningkatkan kualiti udara, selari dengan Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan PBB, terutamanya bagi Tenaga Mampu Milik dan Bersih (SDG 7) dan Tindakan terhadap Iklim (SDG 13).

Kata kunci: HRA; pembahagian sumber; PM2.5; stesen janakuasa

 

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*Corresponding author; email: nfadilah@ukm.edu.my

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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