Elemental analysis of green mussel shells from the Gulf of Thailand using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the elemental composition of green mussel shells collected from the Gulf of Thailand, with sampling conducted in Samut Prakan Province, Thailand. The shell samples were subjected to calcination at four different temperatures 0 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C, and 1000 °C. Elemental analysis revealed that calcium oxide (CaO) was the dominant constituent, with its concentration increasing progressively from 96.196% at 0 °C to 98.597% at 1000 °C. Conversely, the concentrations of secondary oxides, namely silver oxide (Ag2O), sulfur trioxide (SO3), and strontium oxide (SrO), showed a marked decrease with rising temperature. When compared, the CaO content observed in this study ranged from typical to moderately elevated levels. The reduction in SO3 is attributed to the thermal decomposition of sulfate compounds within the shell matrix. Significantly, the concentrations of Ag2O and SrO exceeded average baseline levels, with Ag2O in particular exceeding 1% a concentration that may indicate anthropogenic contamination by heavy metals in the coastal zone. These results suggest that green mussel shells possess potential as bioindicators for assessing marine environmental quality. Moreover, the data generated from this study can serve as a scientific baseline for future environmental monitoring, pollution assessment, and comparative studies involving shell-based geochemical proxies in other coastal regions.