Quality Indeks dan Konsentrasi Logam Berat dalam Perairan dan Sedimen di Perairan Kota Makassar

Kota Makassar merupakan pusat kota di Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan yang memiliki aktifitas wilayah pesisir, seperti pemanfataan industri, pariwisata, transportasi laut serta memiliki dua sungai besar yang muara di perairan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui konsentrasilogam berat dalam air dan sedimen serta menentukan status mutunya. Pengamatan dilakukan pada 10 lokasi strategis sumber pencemar seperti pabrik, hotel, muara sungai serta pelabuhan dengan mengambil sampel air dan sedimen dan selanjutnya dianalisis di laboratorium untuk logam berat Cd, Cr, Hg, Zn, Cu dan Pb. Statistik deskriptif digunakan untuk menganalisis data yang ada. Metode Indeks Pencemar dan Storet (Storage and Retrieval) digunakan untuk menentukan status mutu air dan sedimen dari logam berat untuk biota laut. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan perairan Kota Makassar tergolong dalam kategori “Cemar Ringan” berdasarkan hasil perhitungan indeks Pencemar sedangkan status mutu perairan tergolong “Cemar Berat”. Parameter logam berat di kolom perairan yang melampaui baku mutu adalah Krom (0,016±0,005) dan Tembaga (0,112±0,035). Sedangkan untuk parameter logam berat sedimen secara keseluruhan masih berada dalam ambang batas baku mutu yang telah ditentukan. Kondisi tercemar berasal dari aktifitas reklamasi pantai serta sumber alami dan limbah domestik dari aktifitas masyarakat cukup tinggi.ABSTRACTMakassar City is the city center in South Sulawesi Province which has coastal area activities, such as the use of industry, tourism, sea transportation and has two large rivers that estuary into the waters. This study aims to determine the concentration of heavy metals in water and sediment and determine their quality status. Observations were made at 10 strategic locations of pollutant sources such as factories, hotels, river mouths, and ports by taking water and sediment samples and then analyzed in the laboratory for heavy metals Cd, Cr, Hg, Zn, Cu, and Pb. Descriptive statistics are used to analyze the existing data. The Pollutant Index and Storet (Storage and Retrieval) method is used to determine the status of water and sediment quality of heavy metals for marine biota. The results of this study indicate that the waters of Makassar City are classified as "Lightly Polluted" based on the results of the calculation of the Pollutant index while the status of the water quality is classified as "Heavy Polluted". Parameters of heavy metals in the water column that exceed the quality standard are chromium (0,016±0,005) and copper (0,112±0,035). Meanwhile, the parameters of the sediment heavy metals as a whole are still within the specified quality standard. Polluted conditions derived from coastal reclamation activities as well as natural sources and domestic waste from community activities are quite high.

Heavy Metals Assimilation by Native and Non-Native Aquatic Macrophyte Species: A Case Study of a River in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

There is continuous deterioration of freshwater systems globally due to excessive anthropogenic inputs, which severely affect important socio-economic and ecological services. We investigated the water and sediment quality at 10 sites along the severely modified Swartkops River system in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and then quantified the phytoremediation potential by native and non-native macrophyte species over a period of 6 months. We hypothesized that the presence of semi and permanent native and non-native macrophytes mats would reduce water and sediment contamination through assimilation downriver. Our results were variable and, thus, inconsistent with our hypotheses; there were no clear trends in water and sediment quality improvement along the Swartkops River. Although variable, the free-floating non-native macrophyte, Pontederia (=Eichhornia) crassipes recorded the highest assimilation potential of heavy metals in water (e.g., Fe and Cu) and sediments (e.g., Fe and Zn), followed by a submerged native macrophyte, Stuckenia pectinatus, and three native emergent species, Typha capensis, Cyperus sexangularis, and Phragmites australis. Pollution indices clearly showed the promising assimilation by native and non-native macrophytes species; however, the Swartkops River was heavily influenced by multiple non-point sources along the system, compromising the assimilation effect. Furthermore, we emphasise that excessive anthropogenic inputs compromise the system’s ability to assimilate heavy metals inputs leading to water quality deterioration.

Reef foraminifera as bioindicators of coral reef health in southern South China Sea

Pulau Tioman is a famous tourist island off Peninsular Malaysia with beautiful coral reefs. This study aims to assess the health of the coral reefs surrounding Pulau Tioman based on the application of the Foraminifera in Reef Assessment and Monitoring Index (FI). Ten sampling sites around Pulau Tioman were studied with a total of 30 samples. Eight orders, 41 families, 80 genera, and 161 species of benthic foraminifera were identified. The agglutinated type of foraminifera constituted 2–8% of the total assemblages. Calcareous hyaline and porcelaneous groups represented 79% and 19% of the total assemblages, respectively. Symbiont-bearing taxa were the most common foraminifera. The results indicate that most of the sampling sites are conducive for coral reef growth with good recoverability from future stress to the ecosystem. However, several areas with higher coastal development and tourism have reduced water and sediment quality. Therefore, the limit on the number of visitors and tourists should be revised to enable coral growth and health. The FI values in this study showed a positive correlation with good water qualities and a negative correlation with organic matter enrichment. The FI is a good measure to assess the health of a coral reef and can be applied to other reef ecosystems around Malaysia.

Environmental monitoring of the highly polluted Gulf of Bagnoli (Italy) using foraminiferal metabarcoding and morphology-based assessment

The former-industrial site of Bagnoli (Naples, Southern Italy), the second Italian largest steelwork, has been negatively affected by the discharges of heavy metals and hydrocarbons that have markedly altered the water and sediment quality as well as the biota living therein. On the basis of benthic foraminiferal traditional morphology-based approach and eDNA metabarcoding, we evaluate the response of benthic foraminifera to pollution and define the Ecological Quality Status (EcoQS) in Gulf of Bagnoli. Higher concentrations of Pb (up to 322 ppm) and Zn (up to 795 ppm) than Effect Range Median are identified in the area in front of the former industrial site, specifically between the two piers. Indeed, significant differences in terms of alpha and beta diversity have been found between the most polluted area (i.e., in front of the former industrial plant) and the sites in the northern area that can be considered relatively low polluted. The analysis of selected biotic indices (i.e., exp(H’bc), Foram-AMBI, gAMBI) computed for the morphological and metabarcoding datasets strikingly and congruently identify poor to bad EcoQS in the polluted area in front of the former industrial plant, whereas the EcoQS results good to high North to the site. The congruence and complementarity between metabarcoding and morphological data support the application of foraminiferal metabarcoding in routine biomonitoring as a reliable, time- and cost-effective methodology to assess the environmental impacts of heavily polluted marine areas.

Size Structure and Gonad Characterization of Gari elongata (Lamarck 1818) from the Coastal Areas of Hinatuan, Surigao Del Sur, Philippines

Size-structure analyses and gonad characteristics of the elongate sunset clam Gari elongata from the coastal waters of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, Philippines, was determined in this study. An opportunistic sampling approach was applied during the collection of G. elongata from the coastal waters of Brgy. Loyola and Brgy. Aquino. A total of 1437 G. elongata individuals were subjected to length-weight measurements, and gonads from five (5) individuals per sex among size classes were processed for histological characterization. The maximum total length of G. elongata recorded is 5.42 cm, way smaller than its congeners elsewhere, which is at 7.0-9.2 cm. The size-structure analysis shows that G. elongata from Brgy. Loyola exhibited negative allometric growth while those gleaned from Brgy. Aquino exhibited positive allometry indicating variation in growth dynamics. Known as a gleaning source, Barangay Loyola is abundant in G. elongata, but individuals are much smaller compared to those gathered from Barangay Aquino. A ratio of 1:1 for male and female classification was observed, as seen from gonad histological analyses. Ovaries were found in the spawning capable state with gonads in ripe (30%), spent (25%), early development (25%), and partially spawning (20%) stages. Testes were found to be in the ripe (40%), early developing (10%), spent (10%), and partially spawning (40%) stages. Gari elongata exhibits spawning capable gonads at 2.85 cm and 2.95 cm for males and females, respectively, which suggests that the shellfish has adapted early to reproduction to maintain its population in the coastal waters of Hinatuan. The small body lengths of individuals with mature gonads indicate that G. elongata may have been exposed to some stress in their natural environment. Regulated management of G. elongata to avoid over-harvesting and assessment of water and sediment quality of their natural habitat is highly recommended