Assessment of Sediment Quality of the Waters Around Ternate City Using Indices Approach, North of Maluku, Indonesia | Chapter 8 | Geography, Earth Science and Environment: Research Highlights Vol. 3

As a result of the rapid expansion of industrial activity and population increase in Ternate city and the surrounding area, the coastal waters around Ternate city are heavily impacted by human activities where the waters act as a disposal area for sewage, industrial and agricultural originating from the town of Ternate and its surroundings. This study aimed to determine the levels of heavy metals in sediments and assess the sediment quality based on an index analysis approach. Sediment samples were collected from five stations along the coast around Ternate City waters. Heavy metal concentration was measured using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Sediment samples were put into a Teflon dish and dried in an oven at 105o C for 24 hours. Hg, Pb, Cd, and Cu concentration was determined using a Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Varian Spectra AA 20 Plus) following the US EPA 3050b method. The results showed that Hg concentration ranged from: 0.592-3.571 mg/kg, Pb: 10.4-12.4 mg/kg, Cd: 0.095-0.298 mg/kg, and Cu: 0.713-40.494 mg/kg.  The average   Pb, Cd, and Cu concentration is still lower than the sediment quality threshold values, except Hg. The results of the index analysis showed that the average value of enrichment factors of Hg, Pb, Cd, and Cu are 786.162, 114.511, 118.195, and 30.810 (no enrichment to very high enrichment), contamination factors are 4.743, 0.568, 0.653 and 0.208 (no contamination to slight), the geo-accumulation index is 1.291, -1.404, -1.288 and -4.586 (unpolluted to moderately polluted) respectively. Based on the pollution load index value (PLI <1), sediments in these waters are categorized as not yet polluted by Hg, Pb, Cd, and Cu. The levels of heavy metals in sediments in the seas around Ternate City still follow sediment quality standards except for Hg.

 

Author (s) Details

Edward
RCO, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jalan Pasir Putih I, Ancol Timur, Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

Agus Kusnadi
RCO, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jalan Pasir Putih I, Ancol Timur, Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

Teddy Triandiza
RCO, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jalan Pasir Putih I, Ancol Timur, Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/geserh/v3/2911