Environmental Engineering
A. Mallongi; A.U. Rauf; R.D.P. Astuti; S. Palutturi; H. Ishak
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The increasing population and anthropogenic activities in coastal areas affects the presence of mercury in coastal waters. Therefore, this study aims to 1) assess the ecological and human health risk of mercury contamination in coastal water; 2) analyze the effectiveness of ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The increasing population and anthropogenic activities in coastal areas affects the presence of mercury in coastal waters. Therefore, this study aims to 1) assess the ecological and human health risk of mercury contamination in coastal water; 2) analyze the effectiveness of polymer sulfur as an absorbent for mercury.METHODS: A total of fifteen water samples were obtained from the coastal areas of Makassar and were analyzed using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Ecological and human health risks were assessed using established assessment methods by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The uncertainty and sensitivity tests for independent variables in human health risk were assessed by the Monte Carlo Simulation method. Furthermore, polymer sulfur was used as a promising technique for capturing and reducing the level of mercury in the water column.FINDINGS: The results showed that the mean concentration of mercury was very high and exceeded the values established by the World Health Organization, United States of Environmental Protection Agency, and Indonesian National Standards, indicating elevated risks to the ecosystem and human health in the future. Additionally, the Monte Carlo simulation model revealed that the non-carcinogenic risk caused by mercury exposure in adults and children was greater than 1 (Total Hazard Index>1), indicating the health adverse effects for both receptors. From the simulation results, the concentration of mercury at 23.3% and exposure time of 21.3 percent were the most influential and dominant factors in non-cancer risk for adults and children, respectively. Therefore, mercury concentration needs to be reduced in coastal areas. The application of polymer sulfur is effective for reducing mercury concentration in water with a percentage reduction range of 39 – 100 percent and p-value of 0.001.CONCLUSION: Mercury contamination of coastal water in Makassar city poses ecological and health risks. The application of polymer sulfur is an effective way for reducing mercury in the water column.
Environmental Engineering
M.R. Maulana; S. Saiful; Z.A. Muchlisin
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The occurrence of plastic waste pollution in waters has become a major issue globally. One of the waters which tend to be polluted with plastic waste such as bags, food wrappers, and unused fishing nets, is the Krueng Aceh River, which is located in the center of Banda Aceh ...
Read More
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The occurrence of plastic waste pollution in waters has become a major issue globally. One of the waters which tend to be polluted with plastic waste such as bags, food wrappers, and unused fishing nets, is the Krueng Aceh River, which is located in the center of Banda Aceh city, Indonesia. Microplastics in the rivers potentially contaminate the fish through the food chains, and are then transferred to humans once consumed. The two species of fish that are frequently caught by fishermen in the Krueng Aceh River and consumed by the local people are mullet Mugil cephalus and bagok catfish Hexanematichthys sagor. Both have the potential of being contaminated with microplastics that enter the river. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the status of microplastic pollution in mullet M. cephalus and bagok catfish H. sagor harvested downstream of the Krueng Aceh River, Banda Aceh, Indonesia.METHODS: The fish samples were caught in three locations, namely in the river estuary, residential, and agricultural areas. A total of 50 mullets and 46 bagok catfish were employed for analysis. Microplastics were analyzed in the digestive tract using a microscope, while waste in the carcass was detected using the fourier transform infrared analysis.FINDINGS: In mullet, the highest number of microplastic particles were found in fish samples caught in river estuary (16 particles/fish on average), followed by the sample from residential areas (10 particles/fish on average). Meanwhile, the lowest abundance of microplastic was recorded in sample near agriculture areas (5 particles/gram body weight). In bagok catfish, microplastic abundance in samples from the river estuary and residential areas was almost the same, and it ranged from 7-8 particles/fish. The lowest particle number was in bagok catfish caught in the region near agricultural areas. This study indicated fiber as the most dominant microplastic in the two fish species at all sampling locations. It also had three colors in the alimentary tract of mullet and bagok catfish, namely red, blue, and black, which was predominant. The fourier transform infrared spectrum showed several wavenumber peaks signifying alkane compounds’ presence, which are microplastic characteristics. Based on the peak values, the presence of two polymer types was suspected, namely polyethylene, and polypropylene.CONCLUSION: Fiber and film microplastics were found in the digestive tract of mullet and bagok catfish, where the number of particles was most abundant in the mullet. The fourier transform infrared test was also detected the presence of microplastic pollutants in both species. This indicates that mullet and bagok catfish in Krueng Aceh River have been contaminated by microplastics and are not safe for consumption.
Environmental Science
A.R. Karbassi; S. Tajziehchi; H. Khoshgalb
Abstract
Fuel storage tanks are one of the main sources of water pollution as well as loss of crude oil and oil products in refineries. In the process of utilization of these tanks, considerable amounts of hydrocarbons may find their way into the coastal water, which eventually lead to loss of valuable ...
Read More
Fuel storage tanks are one of the main sources of water pollution as well as loss of crude oil and oil products in refineries. In the process of utilization of these tanks, considerable amounts of hydrocarbons may find their way into the coastal water, which eventually lead to loss of valuable hydrocarbons. Oil type, climatic condition and characteristics of oil tanks are among the main variables in computing evaporative losses. The present study brings out the results of a project that was carried out to investigate the adverse effects of oil terminal on coastal waters of Qeshm Island and aims to elaborate on speciation of metals in coastal waters. For this purpose, 12 stations were sampled. Water chemistry software was used to draw Eh-pH diagrams. Along with the speciation of heavy metals, cluster analysis was carried out by MVSP software. According to the results, HSC diagrams showed that Cu and Cd were present as free ions. Lead, manganese, cobalt, zinc and nickel were respectively present as PbOH, MnOH, ZnOH, CoOH and NiOH in the Persian Gulf. Speciation of Cu and Ni was in the form of Cu2O and NiO. Vanadium was also present in combination with hydroxide. Since all the studied elements were within the water stability range, they were stable, and there were no environmental risks of contamination and toxicity. The results of cluster analysis did not show any relation between Eh and pH. This clearly showed that Eh-pH was governed by different mechanisms in coastal waters of Qeshm Island. Vanadium and Ni concentration was governed by pH, while Cu and Cd concentration was controlled by Eh.
Pawan K. Bharti; U.K. Niyogi
Abstract
The Larsemann Hills range is an ice-free oasis on the Ingrid Christensen Coast of Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica, which includes Bharti Island, Fisher Island, McLeod Island, Broknes Peninsula, Stornes Peninsula, and several other islands, promontories, and nunataks. The Larsemann Hills is an ...
Read More
The Larsemann Hills range is an ice-free oasis on the Ingrid Christensen Coast of Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica, which includes Bharti Island, Fisher Island, McLeod Island, Broknes Peninsula, Stornes Peninsula, and several other islands, promontories, and nunataks. The Larsemann Hills is an ice-free area of approximately 50 km2, located halfway between the Vestfold Hills and the Amery Ice Shelf on the south-eastern coast of Prydz Bay, Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica. The ice-free area consists of two major peninsulas (Stornes and Broknes), four minor peninsulas, and approximately 130 near shore islands. The Larsemann Hills area contains more than 150 lakes at different Islands and peninsulas. Bharti Island of Larsemann Hills in east Antarctica was selected as a sampling site for the present study. Water sample was collected from a freshwater lake during XXXth Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) and analyzed for the physico-chemical parameters, major elements, trace metals and major plankton diversity in surface lake water by following standard methodology. The concentrations of metals Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cr were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Phytoplankton and zooplankton were also assessed in the aquatic ecosystem of Lake L3 at Bharti Island, Larsemann Hills over east Antarctica. Psychrophillic bacteria were found 71 cfu in lake water, while total bacterial count was found to be 5.4 × 102cfu.
