The Impact of Inward Foreign Direct Investment on Host Countries Essay

The Impact of Inward Foreign Direct Investment on Host Countries - Essay Example According to the research findings, Foreign Direct Investment has over the last three decades aroused conflicting responses from the first and third world. In essence, FDI gives the investor the power to operate a company in another country for the long term. Developed host countries are not too welcome to the idea on the premise that they fear foreign firms will end up dominating their local firms. In contrast to this, developing countries are more welcome to the idea on the grounds that FDI will bring additional capital, expertise and new technology into their country. Host countries record FDI flows as liabilities along with similar items in their balance of payments. In host countries like these FDI flows make up a large percentage of the total investment in the economy as compared to more developed countries; the effects of FDI on these countries differ as well, with developing countries showing a steady growth trend as compared to developed countries who showed boom and bust cy cles as a result of engaging in FDI. Growth is normally measured by looking at the trends in per capita GDP growth. Analysts relate FDI to per capita to GDP growth by looking at figures of gross FDI inflows and FDI inflows per capita to see if they have any impact on the economic growth of a country. Research has revealed a positive relationship between FDI levels and growth levels in an economy, in some cases, these results have been insignificant as well but these variables have never shared a negative relationship. The extraneous variable has a magnitude changing effect on this relationship. It has been seen that the more developed a country is, the better and greater positive effect FDI will have on its economic growth. Most studies that have analyzed the impact of FDI on the economic growth of the host country have found the results to be pretty elusive. Most established relationships are based specifically on the host country’s own specific economic characteristics. Thu s it is difficult to generalize these effects and apply them to other countries as the findings of a study. However, the probable effects are not completely elusive, as the endogenous growth theory provides a framework for the positive linkage between growth and FDI inflows.

Explain the key arguments presented by Thomas Szasz (in the texts Essay

Explain the key arguments presented by Thomas Szasz (in the texts studied on this course) against the current practice of psychiatry. Assess the significant strengths and weaknesses - Essay Example psychiatry is against autonomy and individual choice; psychiatry is based on false assumptions which cannot be proven; and finally, that psychiatry should be a means through which there is an attempt to help individuals understand themselves and others in society. One of the most significant arguments made by Szasz against psychiatry is that psychiatrists are successors to priests and other religious figures. This succession came about through getting directly involved in the attempt to solve the various problems that seem to be plaguing individuals, especially in the case where it was believed that these individuals needed spiritual intervention (Szasz 1974, p.181). He argues that this is exactly the case with modern psychiatry where practitioners seek to classify the various problems of living that some individuals in society might have as mental illnesses. The argument of classification is strength because it creates a situation where the psychiatrist comes to have incredible control over the lives of his patients and this in such a manner that he is able to determine what he would like to do with them. That psychiatrists have a level of power over their patients comes about through their being able to recommend that they be confined in me ntal institutions for a certain period as a means of treating their mental illnesses. It creates a situation where it is extremely difficult for individuals in society to escape the clutches of control because psychiatrists, using medical terms, act as priests did using religious terms, can still impose control over those who have put their faith in them. A weakness of this argument is that it does not attempt to show the origins of the behaviours which can be considered as not being normal within human society. Such behaviours include the mentality of murderers who do not feel remorse for their actions despite the latter being horrific. However, one would agree with Szasz’z argument because it is a means of showing the

The impact of divorce on children Research Paper

The impact of divorce on children - Research Paper Example Most couples separate after a considerable period of marital upheaval, so it may be more accurate to think of divorce as a series of interrelated events rather than a single, easily categorized experience. (Emery, 2004) The effects which have been noted in children varied considerably with several factors including but not limited to a child's age, their gender, and even the number of siblings in their family. Being such a complex issue, it is not always a simple matter to tease apart individual correlations, to say nothing of ultimate causes, of divorce outcomes. Several impacts of parental separations are immediate and obvious, such as changes in the child's living arrangements or financial situation. Others are more difficult to quantify, such as the effects divorce may have on the emotional states of children, their senses of self, their friendships or their later intimate relationships. The number of children who experience their parents' divorce each year has been rising for so me time, and is now recognized as a significant public health issue. (Wolchik et al., 2002) It is extremely difficult to quantify the full impact of divorce on children for several reasons. According to Cowan and Cowan, most studies of divorce's impact on children have the following notable flaws: 1) They were begun after the divorce or separation had occurred; 2) Most studies do not assess the impact of parents in a highly conflicted relationship who stay together, instead comparing only married and divorced parents; 3) Divorce can have a positive effect on some lives, while it has a negative effect on others. Research has not yet managed to explain under what circumstances a divorce will have a negative or positive impact (nor the extent of that impact) on children. (Cowan & Cowan, 2006) It has been well-documented that divorce can have a decidedly negative impact on a child's mental health well into adulthood. As long as 30 years after the separation of their parents, adults who were children when their parents divorced may continue to experience anxiety, depression, and trouble connecting intimately in their lives with spouses or their own children. (Estimates of the number of children who experience divorce each year vary widely, but most agree that at least one million children see their parents divorce each year, joining the over 40 million children and adults whose parents have already separated. (Emery, 2004) â€Å"Parental divorce is experienced by 1.5 million children each year in the United States† according to Wolchik et al. (2002) Custody is a common source of stress for children and adults when a couple with children decide to separate. â€Å"Tragically, it rarely works out very well. It is usually extremely difficult for the parents to work out a satisfactory arrangement, and even more difficult for them to fully abide by whatever arrangement is made. And when the situation is problematical for them, this inevitably causes the children to suffer.† (Meyerhoff, 2005) Later Meyerhoff calls joint custody, an agreement which arranges for both parents to share equal custody of a child, â€Å"a failed experiment,† but says that most parents become extremely distressed when primary custody is awarded to their partner. (Meyerhoff, 2005) Children of divorce often continue to suffer for many years after the custody disputes have been settled.

Does Quantitative Easing Policy in US Affect Market Liquidity Research Proposal - 1

Does Quantitative Easing Policy in US Affect Market Liquidity - Research Proposal Example The effect is due to the contrast it has in increased awareness of potential risk and the cost that are associated to quantitative easing as expressed by policy makers as purchases continued (Krishnamurthy & Vising-Jorgensen, 2011). In the initial program of quantitative easing, officials of Federal Reserves suggested potential risk but the focus they had was mainly on implementation of the program without taking into consideration the costs that were associated with the ongoing purchases. They were mainly concerned with using the policy to support stronger economic recovery (Krishnamurthy & Vissing-Jorgensen, 2011). The effect that quantitative easing had to the economy is on the stimulation. Through the policy, the federal government is able to auction large quantities of treasuries so that they pay for expansionary fiscal policy. As the treasuries are bought, demand increases keeping yields of the treasury low. This leads to keeping the consumer debts affordable since treasuries are the basis of long term interest rates. This is also similar to corporate bonds as they allow business to expand more cheaply. To show liquidity channel, analysis can be made on the second program of Fed which was from November 2010 and was concluded in 2011. In the period, there was effect on priced frictions to trading in the market for treasury inflation protected securities and the markets that they were related for inflation swap contracts. To quantify the effects of TIPS purchases on the functions the market and the related market for inflation swaps, there is use of sum of TIPS and inflation swap liquidity premiums (Lessambo, 2013). The measure is only reliant on the law of one price and provides a good proxy for the priced frictions to trading. The hypothesis formulated for the study is that there are several ways through which quantitative easing has affected

The Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Business Environment - Essay Example These profit seeking activities are performed by the enterprises that provide goods and services to the people of the country and which are necessary for the economic system of the country. Some of the enterprises produce tangible goods like automobiles, computers, etc., while others provide services like banking, insurance, etc. (Pride et al 2011). Business activity is very important for the economic development of the country, as it not only creates the job opportunities for the people of the nation, but also improves the standard of living. Business determines the needs and demands of the people and fulfills them by providing various goods and services. Business also acts as a major source of foreign exchange for the country (Dunning & Lundan, 2008). For example, many enterprises sell their products across the national borders. They also organized various international events which not only bring the foreign currency in the nation, but also lead to the development of infrastructur e which further facilitates the growth of the country’s economy. There are different factors according to which the enterprises working in a country can be categorized. One of the criteria of dividing the enterprises is the objective of the organization. On the basis of the objectives, enterprises can be divided into two categories: for-profit organization and non-profit organization (Kerlin, 2009). The term â€Å"profit† represents the rewards that a business person seeks to get against the risk which is involved in the combining the people, technology and information to fulfill the demand and needs of the people of the country (Thuronyi, 1998). The enterprises with the objective of earning profit are called as for-profit organizations. Such organizations mainly help the country to grow financially and provide the source of income to its citizens. Apart from the acting as income source, these organizations also help the society by launching different social programs w hich are known as corporate social responsibility. They pay heavy taxes to the government which improves the infrastructure of the nation. Consumers are the major beneficiaries of such enterprises. Their major objective is to increase their profit, for which they try to attract as much as possible consumers. Inter rivalry among the different enterprises results in better quality products in the market at acceptable prices (Blackford, 2008). The other category of enterprises is known as the non-profit organizations. These are the enterprises which aim to work for the social development rather than earning profit for the owners (Kurtz & Boone 2008). They need to earn profits for their operations but their main objective to work for the society which is the major difference between them and for-profit organizations. They operate in both public and private sector. They help in the economic development by improving and fulfilling the social needs of the citizens like education, better sa nitation, and working for weaker section of the society (Keough, 2008). Both types of enterprises are different in nature, but both are required for the economic development of the nations. Government policies are the other major factor which defines the economic growth of a country. Fiscal policy and monetary policies are two tools that are

The Decision Making Process How Communication Is Important Essay Example for Free

The Decision Making Process How Communication Is Important Essay Good decision making is an essential skill for career success generally, and effective leadership particularly. If you can learn to make timely and well-considered decisions, then you can often lead your team to spectacular and well deserved success. However, if you make poor decisions your organization can tumble. Regardless of the size of business you are in whether a large corporation, a small company, or even a home based business effective communication skills are essential for success especially when a decision has to be made. Decision making in management is an important skill and making the right decisions is essential. Every manager should be looking to improve their decision making skills and communication skills. The process of business decision making is of the utmost importance for effective management. Decision making process in management must be informed by expert knowledge and experience in all departments. â€Å"The decision-making role in organizations is crucial. If things are going smoothly, there is not much for management to do, but if things go wrong or new opportunities arise, somebody has to decide on hiring and firing workers, investing in new machines or scrapping old ones, marketing new products and dropping old ones, and how to raise the necessary finance. † (Fong, Kwok, 2005) The role of management is to take these decisions, communicate with all the departments in the organization that are involved, and make the right decision. The people who do the managing, this may involve a members of the organizations at different ranks, with subordinates, branch, or assistant managers exercising limited caution, and the managing director as the overall boss of an organization, laying down general outline of policy, all of the people can help to carry out the decisions. They all need to communicate and bring out their point of views before making a decision. â€Å"The six step decision making process is a balanced decision making process. It is based upon thinking about, comparing and evaluating various alternatives. † (Dollak, 2008) Each step must be completed before going to the next step. And occasionally it may be necessary to go back several steps to more fully complete them before moving forward again. The steps are: * define the situation and the desired outcome * research and identify options * compare and contrast each alternative and its consequences * choose an alternative * design and implement an action plan * evaluate results Decision making is at the heart of business operations. High quality decision making is essential for businesses to succeed and prosper, and communication is really crucial during that time. Unfortunately, the decision process is hard to pin down and understand and often receives far less attention than it deserves. The future of ones business is written in the decisions of today. Every effort to make those decisions of high quality will be rewarded. Organizational decision making involves translating inputs of information to outputs of courses of action and implies that the capacity to act depends on a shared understanding among organizational members. â€Å"Interactive communication and decision making within the organization and any group within the organization, at that time there will be varied opinions on the suitable actions to take in any scenario but these differences exist within a structure of shared values and agreed procedures. † (Kelly, 1994) Decision making and communication in organization go hand in hand, one relates to another, and they are both essential in any organization.

A Study Of Rivers In Malaysia Environmental Sciences Essay

A Study Of Rivers In Malaysia Environmental Sciences Essay Heavy metals are most abundant forms of pollution in Malaysia either in the forms of solid or liquid. With the vast industrialization and economic development in coastal region, heavy metals are continuing to be introduced to the estuarine and coastal environment which eventually end up into the river, runoffs and land based area (Yu et al., 2007). Metals diffuses into the aquatic environment will settle down and be incorporated into sediments together with organic matters, Fe/Mn oxides, sulfides, and clay (Wang and Chen, 2000). However, heavy metal mobility or availability in contaminated materials depends to large extent upon the different chemical and mineralogical forms that occurred (Song et al., 1999). Therefore, sediments seem to be an excellent medium in the assessment of the metals bound to the particulates. Nonetheless, sediments are known to act as a sink for heavy metals to be introduced into waters either from both natural and anthropogenic sources thus providing an exce llent proof of mans impact (Pempkowiase et al., 1999; Guevara et al., 2005). In addition, they may also act as traps for various types of pollutants including heavy metals (Poh and Mun, 1994). Indeed, changes in environmental conditions such as pH and redox potential should be monitored since it may results in remobilization of heavy metals. Unfortunately, due to the scarcity of information available to establish the heavy metal concentration in sediment using sequential extraction, no data is presented concerning the heavy metal pollution in the rivers except for one author Shazili et al., 2008 on Langat River Basin. Heavy metals element is particularly crucial because any slight changes in availability may cause these elements to become either toxic or deficient to plant (Krishnamurti et al., 1995). In fact, sequential extraction analysis is a technique which is used to investigate the geochemical partitioning of heavy metals amongst solid mineral and organic phases in sediment or other earth minerals (Howard and Vandenbrink, 1999). Sequential fractionation also frequently used in approaches to evaluate metals distribution into different chemical forms present in solid phases. Although direct methods provide an unambiguous identification of the heavy metal forms and ways why they occur, they might not be sufficiently sensitive where heavy metals occur at relatively low levels and they do not provide quantitative information on heavy metal mobility and availability (Song et al., 1999). However, sequential extraction approach is undoubtedly useful since few attempts have completed and few modification have been made based on Tessier et al., (1979); such as Silviera et al., (2006); Krishnamurti et al., (1995); Song et al., (1999); Forghani et al., (2009), Poh and Mun, (1994). 2.0 Problem Statement Langat river, Bernam River and Klang River basin is located in the state of Selangor in which known to be the most developing states in Malaysia other than Kuala Lumpur. All of these rivers are primarily important as water source not only limited to supplying water to consumer but also for other purposes such as aquaculture and agriculture activity, fishing, effluent discharge, irrigation and even sand mining. With the vast industrialization held in the river such as sand mining it generate the release of metal bound in sediment into the water promoting metals diffussion into the aquatic organisms and eventually ends up into humans body. Moreover, each metals poses their own threat to human, particularly Cadmium (Cd) are known for causing adverse health effects, once ingest into our body it will cause lung cancer moreover it seldom important as a cause of phytotoxicity in paddy field (Chaney, 2010). On the other hand, Zinc (Zn) is a deficient and phytotoxic element in sediment which causes abdominal pain to humans, the latter due to industrial contamination (Chaney, 2010). Copper (Cu) in sediments strongly adsorbs to clay minerals, iron and manganese oxides and organic material. In addition, it tends to remain in horizons that have a greater organic content whereas sandy sediment with low pH poses the greatest potential for Cu leaching. On contrary, lead (Pb) is considered to be one of the major environmental pollutants and has been incriminated as a cause of accidental poisoning in domestic animals more than any other substance. In a nutshell, these metals are emboldened to be analyses since this metal endured high toxicity in the environment thus poses high potential threat and risk to humans and living organisms. 3.0 Significance of Study This study is prominent since in Malaysia there is only few attempted study using sequential extraction as medium in determining the fate of metals in environment. Particularly, this study will be useful as a baseline data for goverment bodies to be more sensitive on the issues related to heavy metals. On the other hand, this study will provide a delineation on the sources of metals which contribute the most anthropogenically or naturally to the environment since the major contributor on the environment deteroriation is a non point source. Therefore, identifying the potential sources is crucial in maintaining the environment. Nonetheless, by conducting this study it ables to generate a profound understanding on the sources and parent materials of which heavy metals are highly introduce to the estuary. Thus, contribute to the discovery of metals strength and percentage of binding to organic or inorganic pollutants. Hence, providing an illustration on the status of pollution in the sel ected rivers based on screening of the forms of metals associated in the river. In addition, the attempted method will utter a method development in assesing the metal in the environment. This study is beneficiary especially by the Department of Irrigation on the overview of the river status thus able to mitigate a scheme on reducing the metal accumulation into the river by identifying the source of pollution. 4.0 Research Objective To ascertain the chemical and mineralogical forms of Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn in selected polluted river. To profile the metal speciation (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) in the sediment at selected polluted river in Selangor. To determine the heavy metals affinity for specific geochemical phases in the recently deposited sediments in the river. To identify the pollution sources and active component of heavy metals accumulate into the surficial sediment and its chemical behavior in the aquatic environment. 5.0 Literature Review A river is component of water cycle. Mostly rainfall on land will passes through a river on its way to the ocean and smaller side streams will joins the river forming a tributaries (DID, 2010). In Malaysia, the water within a river generally originates from precipitation through surface runoff, groundwater recharge (as seen at base flow conditions / during periods of lack of precipitation) and release of stored water in natural or man-made reservoirs, such as wetlands, ponds or lakes (DID, 2010). Therefore, the rainfall will generate the surface runoff and flows into the river. While the runoff will collect all the suspended particulates on the land surface into the river. This is why source of metal is very hard to trace since it is a non point sources elements which diffuse into the river Basin. Therefore, in this case sediments play an important role in identication of the metals since it acts as transport and storage of potentially hazardous metals (Yu et al., 2008). Bernam River is approximately about 3335 km2 and it forms a boundary between States of Perak in the north and Selangor in the south. The undulating hills of Bernam River merge into an undeveloped peat swamp area where the downstream of the peat swamp is a densely populated coastal strip along the Bernam River. Rice is cultivated in the lower areas ad- jacent to peat swamps and rubber, oil palm, coconuts and cocoa are cultivated in estates and smallholder schemes. Agrochemicals (fertilizers and herbicides) used on agricultural lands suggest a potential non-point source of pollution and toxicity affecting the aquatic ecosystems (Yap and Ong, 1990). Logging generates pollution through soil erosion, siltation and sedimentation in the streams. On the other hand, Langat River basin covered an area of 1300 km2 in the south of Kuala Lumpur and the length of Langat River is approximately about 120 km long (Sarmani, 1989). Langat river known as an important water source not only limited to sup plying water to consumer but also for other purposes such as recreation, fishing, effluent discharge, irrigation and even sand mining (Juahir, 2009). Whereas, Klang River is notable as a highly polluted river in Selangor which flows through Kuala Lumpur and suburban area of the densely populated and highly industrialized Klang Valley (Tan, 1995). The upper reaches of the Klang River serve as an important source of water supply to an estimated population of two million people in this region, together with its growing industrial activities (Tan, 1995). According to the Environmental Quality Report (Department of Environment, 2007), the Klang River is regarded as one of the rivers which have been seriously affected by pollution. Discharges of wastewater from industrial activities in the Klang River basin have also contributed to increasing levels of organic chemical pollutants in the waterways. However, metals in sediment comes in various forms of elements. Therefore, each metals may give beneficiary and may also cause a potential threat to human. Once consumable in our body it might cause a significant imbalance thus causing deformities and poor health (Birungi et al., 2008). Sediment are an important features in the river any activities occured related to sediment such deepen or mining may cause the release of heavy metals into the river. This is because heavy metals may enter into natural water and become a part of the water sediment system and their distribution processes are controlled by a dynamic set of physical-chemical interactions and equilibrium (Jain, 2003). Therefore, the metals may bind to the aquatic organisms. Since these river is an essential water source in the state of Selangor, any aquaculture activity held in the river may have a significant potential of heavy metals accumulate into the fish or prawns. On the other hand, the deposition of metals in sedi ments usually occurs through an interaction between sediment and water (Piron et al., 1990), whereby changes of metal contents of sediments and water depend on changes of water chemistry, such as, temperature, pH and solute concentration. That is why such study is prominent since metals interactions between bed sediment and water in aquatic environment play an important role on water quality and the fate and transport of metals. There are series of modification of sequential extraction technique have been made upon the suitability of the study. The recent modification are introduce by Silviera et al., 2006 which proposed to the studies specifically on the tropical soil. This method listed out seven fractionation steps which each illustrates the metal bound particulate in the sediments. The first three fractionation steps explains the geochemical condition of the sediment whereas the fourth to the seventh steps refers to the anthropogenic conditions. This method is an alternative way to determine the source of metals, because the anthropogenically sourced metals preferentially partition to the non-residual phase of the sediment while the residual phase generally reflects background geochemical conditions (Forghani et al., 2009). Moreover, this method were chosen since it selectively extracts metal bound by specific sediment fractions with minimal effect on the other sediment components (Silviera et al., 2006) . In addition, this method are an important tool for predicting the potential effects of environmental changes and land application of metals on the redistribution of chemical forms in tropical sediments (Silviera et al., 2006). 6.0 Research Methodology Sediment Sampling Thirty representative surficial sediments (0-20cm depth) will be taken from selected polluted river in Selangor from upstream to downstream of the river. Surface sediments samples will be collected in triplicates and homogenised in a zip lock polyethylene bags. The sampling will be conducted during low tide to enable the source of pollution from the mainland to be determined without the influence of input from seawater compared to sampling during high tide. Sediment samples will be collected using plastic scoops, Eckman Grab or core sampler and place into acid-washed double zip-lock polyethylene bag. All samples will be stored in cool box at 4 °C during transportation to the laboratory prior to analysis. Sampling preparation The laboratory apparatus are also acid washed and rinsed thoroughly first with distilled water to ensure any contaminants and traces of cleaning reagent were removed before the analysis. Pre-clean polycarbonate centrifuge tube with soaked overnight in 5 % (v/v) nitric acid rinsed with distilled water after 24 hours prior to analysis. It is performed in clean laboratory to minimize the potential risk of contamination. Laboratory Analysis Physicochemical parameters such as pH, redox potential, salinity and conductivity will be measured using the 1:2 ratio of sediment and double deionized water (DDW). In addition, cations exchange capacity (CEC) and loss on ignition (LOI) will also be determined in the study. Physicochemical Parameters The sediment physicochemical analyses will be determined by mixing 10 g of air dried sample ( Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) Sediment samples for CEC determination will be prepare in two 10 g portions, one for treatment with a 1 M NaCl solution and other with a 1 M NH4Cl solution. Approximately about 10 ml of 95% ethanol will be carefully poured on sediment sample and drawn through the sediment by suction. The ethanol remaining in the sediment will later be removed by overnight evaporation. Then, the sediment will be transferred to small 50 ml Polycarbonate centrifuge tubes. Hence, about 30 ml of 1M NaCl was applied to one set of sub samples and 1 M NH4Cl solution was added to other set. The centrifuge tubes contains with the sediment pre-treated with NaCl and NH4Cl then will be shaken end over end for about 10-20 minutes and subsequently centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 30 minutes in order to settle the fines. After the samples are centrifuged, the supernatant will be removed with syringe and filter through a 0.45  µm filter. About 15 ml of sample will be used for the analysis of Ca, Mg, and K from the NaCl supernatant solution and preserved with 1% 7M HNO3. Meanwhile, the solution from NH4Cl supernatant will be used for determination of Na and also preserved with 1% 7M HNO3. Sample analysis for Ca, Mg, Na and K adopted similar procedure as in the case of major cations determination. The exchangeable cation concentration are converted from meq/100g to equivalent fractions (ÃŽÂ ²T) as (Apello Postma, 2005) ÃŽÂ ²T = meqI-Xz_____ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬ËœI, Jà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. meqI-Xz Where I, J,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. are exchangeable cations, meqI-Xi is normally given in meq/100 g dry sediment and à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ meqI-Xz is essential equal to CEC, ignoring minor amounts of Fe, Mn, etc. Loss of Ignition (LOI) Dry a sample in an oven at 105 °C to constant weight. Accurately weigh 1g of this dried sample and pour into a preweighed dry crucible. Optionally, a few drops of H2O2 may be added at this stage to promote oxidation. The samples will be transfered into muffle furnace and gradually increase the temperature to 500 °C. Leave inside the oven at this temperature for at least 4h or overnight if convenient. Cool, transfer to a dessicator and allow it to cool to room temperature. Weigh and calculate loss on ignition in % as: LOI (%) = 100 x (M1 M2) M1 Where M1 is the initial weight (g) and M2 is the weight after ignition (g). Sequential Extraction Procedure The methods that will be used in this study are based on modification methods from (Silviera et al., 2006). The fractionation of heavy metals in sediments will be carried out in triplicate, using 1 g of air-dried sediment. Then, sediment samples will be placed in 50 ml polycarbonate centrifuge tubes, mixed in a stepwise fashion with various reagents as shown in figure 1, and the suspensions equilibrated. By following equilibration, the solution and solid phases will then be separated by centrifugation at 1225 g for 10 min. In between each successive extraction, the solid residues are suspended in 5 ml of 0.1 M NaCl, shaken by hand, and centrifuged to displace extracting solution remaining from the previous step. The supernatant will be added to the former extractant. The steps are intended to reduce sample dispersion and to minimize read sorption of the metal. The supernatants will be filtered through a 0.45  µm membrane, and the solid residues are preserved for the subsequent extr actions. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in the various extracts will be determined by Inductive Couple Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Mass balances, calculated by summing individual Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn masses recovered from fractions, were compared with the independently determined total metal masses. Data Analysis Further data analysis will be conducted using the raw data obtained from the sample analysis. Descriptive analysis, cluster analysis, factor Analysis will be conducted using few softwares such as SPSS version 17 and Multivariate Statistical Package (MVSP) and AQUACHEM. Enrichment factors (EF) will be calculated to determine the level of trace metal contamination of the sediments. 7.0 Project Benefit Research Publications 2 research journal with impact factor Output expected from the project It is expected that several publication can be produced from the data obtained in this study which useful as a reference for future research. It will provide the latest information on the level of metal pollution in Selangor which useable for relevant authority to make the future planning and management purposes. Economic contribution of the project By using the information gathered in this research, the relevant government bodies can make better planning and take preventive measures to avoid further contamination of the river as it is crucial source for the nation fisheries and aquaculture activity. Moreover, important because a lot of the population which resides near the mangrove area depend on it for their livelihood. Since, the destruction or contamination of this area will affect their source of income. The reduction in fisheries produce from the mangrove area due to metal pollution will results in higher imports of fish products which in turn increase the outflow of money from the country. 8.0 References Apello, C.A.J Postma, D. 2005. Geochemistry, groundwater and pollution. 2nd edition. Roterdam: Balkema. Birungi, Z., Masola, B., Zaranyika, M. F., Naigaga, I. and Marshall, B. (2008). Active biomonitoring of trace heavy metals using fish (Oreochromis niloticus) as bioindicator species:the case of Nakivubo wetland along lake victoria. Chaney, R. L., 2010. Cadmium and Zinc. Trace Element in Soils. Wiley Publication. United Kingdom. Department of Environment, 2007. DOE Annual Report 2007. Retrieved from http://www.doe.gov.my/files/multimedia141/AR_JAS.pdf on 10 October 2010. DID, 2010. Department of Irrigation. River Management-Activities. 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