TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON (TOC) AND CARBON/NITROGEN RATIO IN SURFACE SEDIMENTS IN KUALA SUNGAI BARU, MELAKA.

Total Organic Carbon and Carbon/Nitrogen ratio were determined from the sediments samples collected from eleven study areas in Kuala Sungai Baru Melaka. The high percentage of organic carbon observed in Station 8 ranging 1.88% and this could be attributed to organic matter from industrial, residential and municipal wastewater around the study areas. Comparatively higher C/N ratio was found in Station 1 of 68.04 which is in the sea; this could be the result of the rain that happened the day before we collected the samples. With various agricultural wastes from the palm oil and rubber plantation, forest, padi field and the effluent from the pig farm attribute to the higher number of C/N ratio which is most likely accumulated in Station 1. However, overall results can support the idea that sediments in Kuala Sungai Baru were mostly derive from the primary production in the sampling sites. The result results show that the water quality in all the sampling stations is classified as Water Supply II category based on Interim National Water Quality Standards for Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]