Evaluation of Heavy Metal Contamination Using an Indices Analysis Approach in Buli Bay, Halmahera Island, North Maluku
Edward Edward *
Research Center for Oceanography, National Research and Innovation Agency, Serpong, Indonesia.
Abd Wahab Radjab
Research Center for Biota Systems, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.
Yanrizal Yanrizal
Faculty of Technical Geology , Bandung Technology Institute, Bandung, Indonesia.
Safar Dody
Research Center for Biota Systems, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.
Fredinan Yulianda
Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Bogor Agricultural Institute, Bogor, Indonesia.
Agus Kusnadi
Research Center for Biota Systems, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.
Teddy Triandiza
Research Center for Biota Systems, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.
Hendrick W. Capenberg
Research Center for Biota Systems, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.
Intan Rabiyanti
Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Bogor Agricultural Institute, Bogor, Indonesia.
Agus Dendi Rochendi
Research Center for Oceanography, National Research and Innovation Agency, Serpong, Indonesia.
Sulistiono Sulistiono
Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Bogor Agricultural Institute, Bogor, Indonesia.
Frensly D Hukom
Research Center for Biota Systems, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.
Teguh Peristiwady
Research Center for Biosystematics and Evalution, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.
Yunia Witasari
Reserach Center for Limnology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.
Muhajir Marsaoly
Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Khairun University, Ternate, Indonesia.
Reni Tyas Asrining Pertiwi
Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Khairun University, Ternate, Indonesia.
M. Arman Ahmad
Alumnus of Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Khairun University, Ternate, Indonesia.
Tri Hastuti
Reserach Center for Public Policy, National Research and Innovation Agency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Heavy metals remain a critical subject of environmental research owing to their toxicity even at trace concentrations, their persistence in the environment, and their tendency to bioaccumulate in organisms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contamination levels of heavy metals in sediment. Sediment samples were collected from six stations located along Buli Bay in November 2014. Metal concentrations were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Environmental indices, including the enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (I_geo), contamination factor (CF), and pollution load index (PLI), were used to assess contamination severity. The results showed that concentrations of Pb (1.248 ppm), Cd (0.26 ppm), Cu (15.078 ppm), Zn (34.5 ppm), Ni (24.113 ppm), and Fe (43,025.88 ppm) did not exceed sediment quality guidelines, except for Ni, which exceeded NOAA, ANZECC, and Ontario thresholds. Sediments were classified as uncontaminated and unpolluted (CF < 1, I_geo < 0, and PLI < 1). Potential ecological risk factors (Eri) and the ecological risk index (RI) were less than 40 and less than 300, respectively, indicating no significant ecological risk. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.871) revealed a strong positive correlation between Cu and Cd, suggesting that these metals share common geochemical pathways, whereas Pb, Zn, and Ni exhibited distinct behaviour, likely attributable to their association with crystalline mineral structures and potential influences from sediment trapping in deeper areas or long-distance transport. Comparison with sediment quality guidelines indicated that contamination poses minimal risk to the marine ecosystem, does not disrupt biological functions, and does not adversely affect benthic organisms, particularly in near-coastal areas.
Keywords: Heavy metals, sediment, index analysis, Buli Bay, contamination assessment