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. 2018 Jul;29(2):175-186.
doi: 10.21315/tlsr2018.29.2.12. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Lead Concentration in Long-Tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) Hair in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Nurul Ashikin Hassim  1 , Kamarul Hambali  1 , Nor Shahirul Umirah Idris  1 , Aainaa Amir  1 , Ahmad Ismail  2 , Syaizwan Zahmir Zulkifli  2 , Ai Yin Sow  2
Affiliations

Lead Concentration in Long-Tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) Hair in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Nurul Ashikin Hassim et al. Trop Life Sci Res. 2018 Jul.

Abstract
in English, Malay (macrolanguage)

Long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) has the potential to be a good biological indicator for toxic exposure because they have an almost similar physiology and behaviour to humans. The objective of this study is to determine the concentration of lead (Pb) in hair samples of long-tailed macaques which were found in and out of the Kuala Selangor Nature Park (KSNP) area. The hypothesis is long-tailed macaques that live in the anthropogenic area (outside KSNP) may be exposed to high levels of lead compared to long-tailed macaques living in the forest area (inside KSNP). Analysis of hair samples were carried out using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The study found that the average mean of lead concentration in the anthropogenic area is 6.31 μg/g while for the forest area it is 3.16 μg/g. Lead concentration in the two areas are statistically insignificant. Nevertheless, lead concentration in the anthropogenic area recorded a slightly higher mean concentration than in the forest area. Even so, results of this study indicate that long-tailed macaques in Kuala Selangor are not exposed to high levels of lead. This study is the first in Malaysia to utilise long-tailed macaques as a biological indicator for testing the concentration of toxic substances in the environment. This study is still in its early stages; thus, future research requires improvements.

Kera ekor panjang (Macaca fascicularis) mempunyai potensi untuk menjadi penunjuk biologi yang baik untuk pendedahan toksik kerana mempunyai fisiologi dan tingkah laku yang hampir sama dengan manusia. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan kepekatan plumbum (Pb) dalam sampel rambut kera ekor panjang yang dijumpai di dalam dan luar dari kawasan Taman Alam Kuala Selangor (KSNP). Secara hipotesisnya, kera ekor panjang yang tinggal di kawasan antropogenik (di luar KSNP) mungkin terdedah kepada paras plumbum yang tinggi berbanding dengan kera ekor panjang yang tinggal di kawasan hutan (di dalam KSNP). Analisis sampel rambut dijalankan dengan menggunakan mikroplasma gandingan teraruh-jirim spektrometri (ICP-MS). Kajian mendapati bahawa purata kepekatan plumbum di kawasan antropogenik adalah 6.31 μg/g manakala bagi kawasan hutan adalah 3.16 μg/g. Kepekatan plumbum di kedua-dua kawasan secara statistik tidak begitu ketara. Walaubagaimanapun, kepekatan plumbum di kawasan antropogenik mencatat kepekatan purata sedikit lebih tinggi daripada di kawasan hutan. Walaupun begitu, hasil kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa kera ekor panjang di Kuala Selangor tidak terdedah kepada tahap plumbum yang tinggi. Kajian ini adalah yang pertama di Malaysia menggunakan kera ekor panjang sebagai penunjuk biologi untuk menguji kepekatan bahan toksik di alam sekitar. Kajian ini masih dalam peringkat awal; oleh itu, penyelidikan masa depan memerlukan penambahbaikan.

Keywords: Ecotoxicology; Kuala Selangor; Lead; Long-tailed Macaque; Macaca fascicularis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of study area (The black circle indicates samples of long-tailed macaque’s hair that were taken). (Source: Google Maps 2018)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Average concentration of lead in different individuals determined using ICP-MS technique. *I = Inside; O = Outside.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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