Biologists ready to help solve pollution problems

JAKARTA (JP): Most biologists are interested in solving pollution problem, a seminar was told yesterday.

From 27 participants of the environmental biology discussion, held at the University of Indonesia in Depok, 30 kilometers south of here, 13 discussed ways to help solve pollution problems.

Hamidah Razak, an observer of the Department of Oceanology Research and Development of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, told The Jakarta Post yesterday that industrial waste had decreased since the government issued an environmental regulation.

According to Hamidah, this can be seen from specimens she has observed, which only contained a small amount of the chemical substance.

Hamidah said that in one of her research projects, in the Panimbang waters of West Java, she found the pesticide organochlorine inside the shell Anadara pilula.

"This means that the pollution level in the area is not very high because the pesticide was banned many years ago," Hamidah said.

She added that organochlorine is accumulatively persistent and is very difficult to diffuse.

According to Hamidah, although the pollution level is still low in the area, local residents, especially farmers, still need to be aware of possible dangers.

Erwin Nurdin, from the School of Mathematics and Science of the University of Indonesia, said his research in the Rawakalong pond in Bogor, 50 kilometers south from here, proved that many kinds of fish had vanished due to pollution caused by mercurial waste from four nearby industries.

Erwin, together with his colleagues, examined the pond in order to find out the mercury level inside Trichogaster pectoralis (a fish which is immune to a certain mercury level).

The observation was conducted by using the histochemical method, which analyzed the mercury in fish's body, and Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer, an instrument used to detect the mercurial accumulation in fish body.

He said that the fish were able to accumulate mercury inside their bodies.

The dangers of mercury for human beings depends on how much fish they consume every day and how high the pollution level is, he said.

According to Erwin, the Bogor pond functions as potential water absorber, flood controller and fishery sources.

"We still have the opportunity to save it," he said. Reducing industrial waste is one of the ways to restore the pond.

An approach through biology, for example by using Eichornia craspisis (water hyacinth) as a biofilter, is always possible, and can save the pond.

The experts also discussed reproduction biology, microbiology, biosystematic and conservation, agricultural and medical biology.(05)