Analysis of biofilms as biomonitoring agent for Cu2+ and Pb2+ pollution in the lotic ecosystem

Abstract

Contamination of heavy metals such as Cu2+ and Pb2+ have become serious problems in the aquatic ecosystems. Various efforts to prevent the negative impacts of pollution are being conducted. One of the crucial efforts is to monitor the concentration of heavy metals in aquatic ecosystems. However, the monitoring the heavy metal concentration faces various obstacles, particularly in the lotic ecosystems such as river due to the water flow. This study aims to analyze the utilization of biofilm matrix as a biological agent in the monitoring of river ecosystems. The study focuses on Cu2+ and Pb2+ in the Cokro River of Malang City. The concentration of Cu2+ and Pb2+ were measured in the river water, sediment and biofilm. The environmental parameters those analyzed were temperature, pH of bottom sediment, pH of water, current speed and water depth. The results of this study reveal that the concentration of Cu2+ and Pb2+ inside the biofilms were much higher compared with those of in the sediment and river water. According to the results of this study, the biofilm matrix is a promising biological agent to monitor the Cu2+ and Pb2+ concentration in the lotic ecosystems such as Cokro River.