Assessment of Water Quality and Mercury Contamination in Tabukan Selatan Tengah District: Impacts on Marine Life and Human Health
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1
Faculty of Biotechnology, Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana Jl. Dr. Wahidin 6 – 25 Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 55224
2
Departement of fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, Gadjah Mada Univeristy. Flora Street, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta. Indonesia. 55281
Corresponding author
Djumanto Djumanto
Departement of fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, Gadjah Mada Univeristy. Flora Street, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta. Indonesia. 55281
Ecol. Eng. Environ. Technol. 2025; 3
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ABSTRACT
Illegal mining and mercury contamination in Indonesia pose significant challenges to communities and ecosystems, particularly impacting the region's rich natural resources like gold. The research aims to measure mercury levels in water, sediment, and fish to understand the health risks for the local community. The methodology measured three stations' water temperature, pH levels, and mercury concentrations. Gold mining activities are the primary source of mercury contamination in the coastal waters and fish of the Tabukan Selatan Tengah District. Mercury levels vary in water samples (0.005 to 0.138 mg/L), sediment samples (0.003 to 0.242 mg/Kg), and fish samples (2 to 357 µg/g). All samples surpass the water quality standard of 0.001 mg/L, except for sediment samples at points 2 and 3. Mercury concentrations in fish exceed the quality standard of 0.5 µg/g. The distance between sampling sites and gold mining waste disposal areas influences mercury accumulation. In the Tabukan Selatan Tengah District, people consume fish at an average rate of 0.00071918 kg daily. The RQ value in the district is categorized as unsafe for health at points 1 and 2 and safe at points 3 and 4. The study underscores the significant health risks of mercury exposure, especially for communities that consume contaminated fish