The Analysis of Mercury Concentrations of Water in Gold Mining Environment at Poboya, East Palu Subdistrict, Palu, Central Sulawesi Province

Abstract

Gold mining activities influence the environment, mainly the aquatic environment, due to the heavy metal and mercury detected in settling pond and river waters. Based on laboratory analysis, it is known that Mercury concentrations in settling pond water of inlet, transition, and outlet zones respectively are 0.075 mg/L, 0.042 mg/L, and 0.027 mg/L. These are shown that mercury concentration in water was not passed Government Regulation of the Minister of Environment No. 202 the year 2004 about quality standards of liquid waste, which said that the standard is 0.005 mg/L. The Heavy metal concentrations, especially mercury in river water at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 stations respectively, are 0.004 mg/L, 0.009 mg/L, 0.050 mg/L, and 0.006 mg/L, which do not meet the government regulation of water quality standard 0.001 mg/L.