Environmental Science
K. Seethong; K. Chunkao; N. Dampin; W. Wararam
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The increasing population and urban growth have led to a higher demand for water in various sectors, resulting in a significant amount of wastewater. Constructed wetlands mimic natural wetlands, using the interaction between plants, soil, and microorganisms to treat wastewater ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The increasing population and urban growth have led to a higher demand for water in various sectors, resulting in a significant amount of wastewater. Constructed wetlands mimic natural wetlands, using the interaction between plants, soil, and microorganisms to treat wastewater efficiently. This study assesses the diversity, species composition, and distribution of benthic organisms in a community wastewater-filter grass system and explores the relationship between water quality and benthos.METHODS: Water samples were collected from plant plots between December 2021 and March 2022. On-site measurements included temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and pH, whereas laboratory analysis encompassed the biochemical oxygen demand, ammonia, nitrate, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, and suspended solids. Soil samples were taken before and during planting at 2-week intervals, evaluating organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity, salinity, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and plant growth indicators. Benthos sampling involved polyvinyl chloride pipe cores at a depth of 5 cm from the soil surface. Statistical tests were performed to analyze the water quality data.FINDINGS: The study observed a decrease in Chironomid abundance in both constructed wetland systems, indicating their effectiveness in treating wastewater. A comparison of system types revealed that the 5-day detention–2-day dry release system exhibited higher Chironomid abundance than the continuous flow system, and the biological oxygen demand maximum decreasing rate was 95%. The ammonia and nitrate maximum decreasing rates were 97% and 94%, respectively, indicating greater wastewater-treatment efficiency. The study also identified diverse benthic organisms, particularly chironomids, as bioindicators for assessing wastewater conditions.CONCLUSION: The continuous flow system and the 5-day detention–2-day dry release system of constructed wetlands can reduce the organic compounds and increase the oxygen levels in the plant plots. The interaction among plants, soil, and microorganisms is critical in wastewater treatment. In addition, the study highlighted the diversity and abundance of benthic organisms, particularly chironomids, which were more prominent in the continuous flow system. Consequently, the 5-day detention–2-day dry release system was more efficient in treating wastewater than the continuous flow system.
Environmental Engineering
N.D. Takarina; O.M. Chuan; T.G. Pin; I. Femnisya; A. Fathinah; A.N.B. Ramadhan; R. Hermawan; A. Adiwibowo
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tropical coastal ecosystems globally have been affected by land use changes. This condition has caused a discharge of pollutants into the water, affecting marine organisms, including fish. Due to their habitat preferences, fish are prone to elevate heavy metals in their tissue. ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tropical coastal ecosystems globally have been affected by land use changes. This condition has caused a discharge of pollutants into the water, affecting marine organisms, including fish. Due to their habitat preferences, fish are prone to elevate heavy metals in their tissue. Considering fish is consumable, heavy metal levels in fish can lead to health risks. One of the common edible fish in Southeast Asia is Pennahia argentata. Although widely consumed, there is limited information on how land use influences heavy metal levels in various tissues of this species and its health risk. Fish is one of the main food sources in this region, indicating this information’s importance. This study aims to elaborate on and differentiate the heavy metal levels in tissues and land use types, including settlement and mangrove areas on the West Java coast of Indonesia.METHODS: Locations of this study are the Jakarta coast representing anthropogenic influences in the form of settlements and the Subang coast as a site of mangrove covers. This study combined remote sensing and Geographic Information System analysis with heavy metal analysis using inductively coupled plasma and studied heavy metals, including cadmium, copper, and zinc, in fish tissues such as the gill, digestive tract, and muscle. Differences and correlation of heavy metal data in each tissue and location were statistically analyzed using Pearson correlation values (r), Analysis of Variance, and x2-test. The estimated Daily Intake was used to determine the health risk consumption of this species.FINDINGS: All levels of heavy metals are below the World Health Organization’s permissible limits. Zinc is consistently high in all tissues and locations, while cadmium is the lowest. The result shows that the digestive tract consistently has the highest heavy metal levels compared to other tissues in both locations. Heavy metal in muscle has the lowest level. Copper and zinc in the muscles of fish living on the settlement coasts were 62.69% and 37.18% higher (P <0.05) than fish inhabiting mangrove coasts.CONCLUSION: Trace elements in the commercial fish P. argentata were significantly affected by differences in land use. Variations in land use have elevated heavy metal levels in fish tissues. Given the high levels of heavy metals, the digestive tract can be chosen as a specific fish tissue to be used as a bioindicator to monitor cadmium, copper, and zinc, particularly on the West Java coast in Indonesia. Because the Estimated Daily Intake for zinc in Jakarta is high, consuming fish should be done with caution.
