Mercury Pollution in Java Island:Past and Present

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  • Rofiq IQBAL
    Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung
  • Takanobu INOUE
    Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology

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Abstract

 The aim of this paper is to summarize the studies related to the measurements of mercury pollution in Java Island. It is shown that the main source of mercury pollution was shifted from large-scale industries into small-scale gold minings. It is also found that research activities on mercury pollution in Java are not yet distributed properly. The studies were concentrated in West Java, where Central and East Java Provinces attract less attention from Indonesian researchers. It is also seen that there are increments of mercury concentrations in some areas, such as Kenjeran Beach in Surabaya, Muara Angke of Jakarta Bay and Cibuluh River in the vicinity of Pongkor mining areas. The data also suggested that even though the government succeeded to decrease the number of gold mining operations in one specific area, the miners did not actually stop their operations but just moved to other locations. As for the effects of the mercury pollution to the local population, there is less research that may explain the recent condition in Java. It is highly recommended to monitor mercury concentration in the environment as well as to study the health impact of the mercury to the local inhabitants. It is also advised to have an agreement and coordination between all research institutes in conducting the research to enable the accurate interpretation of the data which will lead to the right conclusion.

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