Potential ecological risks of mercury contamination along communities area in tonasa cement industry Pangkep, Indonesia

Abstract

Objective

This study compares mercury measurements at several community's sites for air, soil and water samples.

Method

This observational analytic applied accidentally random sampling for communities and environmental samples. Total mercury (THg) contaminated concentration sample derived from surround cement processes. Samples of air, water column and soil were collected in one time.

Results

it implied that THg concentration value in the air, water and soil range from 1.0126 to 4.1172 μg/m³, 0.0750 to 2.0805 μg/L⁻¹ and 11.057 to 32.036 μg/kg⁻¹ dw, respectively. In the average, the magnitude of Hg level was in the surface soils > Air > surface water, respectively. The value of ecological risks was range from 3.0–4.4, 0.16–0.22 in the air, 3.0–4.4, 0.16–0.22 in water and 3.0–4.4, 0.16–0.22 in surface soil, respectively.

Conclusion

Mercury Risk values are still lower than standard and ecological risks still low hazard, those value however may increase due to occurrence of accumulation on those sites.