By Mohammad Fauzan Jafar & Reni Tyas Asrining Pertiwi
The utilization of mercury (Hg) in the gold extraction process, conducted by both Nusa Halmahera Minerals Industries (PT. NHM) and illegal gold mining activities (PETI) within the mining vicinity of Halmahera Island, poses a significant risk to the aquatic environment. This research endeavors to evaluate the absorption of mercury in mangrove roots of Rhizophora sp. and Telescopium telescopium at two distinct locations.
Mangrove root sampling was conducted thrice at each station. Discrepancies in heavy metal accumulation, particularly mercury (Hg), within the roots of Rhizophora sp. were scrutinized using the T-test. Results indicated a mercury concentration ranging from 0.016 to 0.026 mg/kg in the roots of Rhizophora sp., with notable differences observed between stations. Station 1, situated near the PETI disposal area along the Tabobo River mangrove, exhibited distinct absorption patterns compared to Station 2, adjacent to the waste disposal site of the mining industry.
Furthermore, the concentration of mercury in Telescopium telescopium ranged from 0.08 to 0.15 mg/kg. This signifies mercury contamination within Telescopium telescopium in Kao Teluk, albeit remaining below the established quality standard threshold.
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