Phytoremediation as a Barrier to Heavy Metal Distribution in Open Dumping Landfill in Peatlands

Abstract

Landfills with the open dumping method cause many environmental pollution problems, such as pollution, soil, surface water, and groundwater. Pollution cleaning technology (remediation) to reduce the harmful effects in the locations contaminated with heavy metals can be implemented by means of several methods, including using phytoremediation as a barrier to heavy metal contamination in order to preventing contamination distribution to the environment. Ferns (Phytoremediation) on the side of the Open Dumping Landfill were investigated as phytoremediation, inhibiting the distribution of heavy metals into the environment. The descriptive-analytic research method was used to analyze the ability of ferns in an open dumping landfill in peatland areas as a barrier to metal contamination distributed to the environment. The results show that ferns can bind heavy metals, such as Hg and Pb, produced from open dumping landfill activities to prevent the distribution of heavy metals to the environment around the landfill. Ferns are able to block the distribution of heavy metals into the environment, especially Pb and Hg. The ability of ferns to become potential plants in peatland areas requires further testing of other heavy metals