Heavy metals concentration in air and neurobehavioral performance of school students in Felda Bukit Goh, Kuantan

Ahmad Kamil, Aminah (2017) Heavy metals concentration in air and neurobehavioral performance of school students in Felda Bukit Goh, Kuantan. [Project Paper] (Submitted)

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Abstract

Introduction: Ever since January 2014, residents in Kuantan, Pahang experienced adverse effects from the rapid and uncontrolled bauxite mining nearby their homes. It has become a huge concern because the affected population includes the vulnerable group which are children and also elderly. Objective: The aim of this research was (a) to detern1ine the level of heavy metal concentrations in air and neurobehavioral performance of school students, (b) to detern1ine the relationship between neurobehavioral performances with selected factors. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out at SMK Bukit Goh in Kuantan. A set of questionnaire which included socio-demographic questions and health symptoms, and 7 tests adapted from Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) were used. Ambient air sampling was done using the Gillian air sampling pump. Results: A total of 122 of school students participated in this research. The result of the 7 NCTB tests showed that the respondents performed averagely with mean of (a) Simple Reaction: 50.44, (b) Digit Symbol: 50.01, (c) Digit Span: 49.99, (d) Santa Ana Manual Dexterity: 50.00, (e) Benton Visual Retention: 49.99, (f) Pursuit Aiming: 50.00, and (g) Trail Making: 49.99. For level of concentration of heavy metals in ambient air of the classrooms, all elements exceeded environmental level limit in community area. In which their concentration, As: 0.0247, Ni: 3.3337, Cr: 6.6932 and Cd: 0.0712. However, Al cannot be detected due to limitation ofICP-MS in the laboratory analysis. For the relationship between neurobehavioral performance and selected factors, only age show significant associated with three tests. Conclusion: The concentration of 3 selected heavy metals exceeded the ambient air concentration limit. There were several heavy metals that showed significant association with the NCTB tests. Although the neurobehavioral performance of the students are average, bauxite mining activities should be managed properly as the community may encountered chronic effects. Keywords: heavy metal, air, neurobehavioral performance, school students, mining

Item Type:	Project Paper
Faculty:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Science
Depositing User:	Ms Norafizah Radzuan
Date Deposited:	25 Jul 2024 06:43
Last Modified:	25 Jul 2024 06:43
URI:	http://psaspb.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/2017

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