Lead concentration high above Serpong research center<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The concentration of lead in the air around Serpong's Research
\nand Technology Center (Puspitek) as well as in the blood of
\nelementary school students in the area exceeds the tolerable
\nlevel, studies say.<\/p>\n
Regular monitoring of ambient air by the Office of the State
\nMinister of the Environment shows that the concentration of lead
\nin the air above the center ranges from one micron per cubic
\nmeter to six microns per cubic meter.<\/p>\n
The government-set tolerable level of lead concentration in
\nthe air is two microns per cubic meter.<\/p>\n
One of the office's researchers, Efrom H. Monangan, said
\nrecently that equipment placed at Puspitek by his office
\nconstantly monitored air in the area.<\/p>\n
\"We have monitored the air in the area since 2001 and the
\nresult is that the concentration of lead ranges from one micron
\nto six microns per cubic meter,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He could not say where the lead originated from, saying his
\noffice needed to carry out further research to discover the
\nsource. However, there are is a mini-nuclear reactor for research
\npurposes and home industries that produce batteries in the area.<\/p>\n
\"But we cannot say that a particular place releases lead into
\nthe atmosphere before any comprehensive study is done,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, research by a team of the University of Indonesia's
\nEnvironmental Health Department also revealed that lead
\nconcentration in the blood of elementary school students in the
\narea was high.<\/p>\n
According to the study, the average concentration of lead in
\nthe blood of 11 students of Setu state elementary school, which
\nis located about one kilometer from Puspitek, is 12.4 micrograms
\nper centimeter on average.<\/p>\n
Tests on elementary school students in Jakarta by other
\nresearchers revealed the average concentration was 4.2 micrograms
\nper cubic centimeter.<\/p>\n
Health experts say a high level of lead, which usually enters
\nthe human body through air and food, can damage brain cells,
\nmarrow, kidneys and other vital organs. The tolerable level of
\nlead in humans is 10 microns per centiliter.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lead-concentration-high-above-serpong-research-center-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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