Ecological risks of contaminated lead and the potential health risks among school children in Makassar coastal area, Indonesia

Abstract

Background and Objective: Distribution of lead for certainty of their suitability for consumption and other domestic uses from the sea water, bottom sediment, biota for Anadara trapezia sp. and crab were widely polluted the coastal area of Makassar. This research aimed to investigate the lead (Pb) accumulation both in aquatic and terrestrial habitats and assess the potential ecological risks and the potential health risks among school children in Makassar coastal area. Materials and Methods: Water column, sediment, shellfish (Anadara trapezia sp. and crab) soil and snack food samples were collected in one time collection. Then, in terrestrial surface soil and snack food sold was collected in the school children. Those samples were analyzed using varian AA240FS atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In addition, the ecological risks assessment was determined using ecological hazard quotient from EPA formulation. Data was also analyzed by one-way analysis of variance ANOVA (p<0.05) using SPSS. Results: Results revealed that the lead distribution concentration in aquatic in water column, sediment, shells and crab were ranged from 0.12-0.21 mg L-1, 6.03-8.00 mg kg-1 dry weight (d.w) and 1.22-2.90 mg kg-1 wet weight (w.w), 1.02-2.91 mg kg-1 w.w, respectively whereas in the terrestrial of surface soil and school snack were ranged from 5.00-37.40 mg kg-1 dw and 0.01-0.90 mg kg-1, respectively. The magnitude values of ecological risks for water column, sediment and surface soil were in the range of 3.0-4.4, 0.16-0.22 and from 0.6-1.1, respectively. Conclusion: Most values have been exceeded the limit standard or ecological risks >1 for potential ecological risk which is hazardous and potentially not safe for consumption for the long period of Pb contamination seafood.