Biologists ready to help solve pollution problems
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)