| Summary: | The research was conducted in ecosystem Tulabolo River, Bone Bolango Regency, part
of Gorontalo Province. The study aims to (1) determine the spatial temporal distribution of
mercury concentrations in water and sediment from the traditional mining reviewed the changes
in distance and water flow in Tulabolo rivers (2) study the effect of concentration of mercury in
water and sediment of affecting factors on the river as the basis for managing and monitoring
water quality in the Suwawa sub-district of Bone Bolango Regency, (3) assess the impact of
traditional mining on ecosystems of Tulabolo stream and dimensional (abiotic), plants, aquatic
animals and human hair (biotic), also relationship between mercury concentrations in human hair
and health effects on society (culture), (4) strategize to treat of the environment caused by
traditional mining in the ecosystem Tulabolo Rivers.
The method used in determining the concentration of mercury is spectrophotometer
without a flame atomic absorption. Criteria for sampling water and sediments are the water level
in high, medium and low. Measurement of discharge by using a fload methology. Sediment
sampling with grab samples. Measurement of TSS by using Equal Width Increment (EWI). The
concentration of mercury in the sediment was taken on the basis of sediment and sedimental
drift. Analysis of mercury concentration in water and sediment done by spacio-temporal test with
Geographic Information Systems (SIG). Effect of mercury concentrations both in water,
sediment, plants, animals and aquatic ecosystems, also human hair by descriptive analysis using
the specifield quality standard. Testing hypotheses about the influence of fixation distance
discharge of mercury concentration in water and sediment (bottom and float) performed by
simple regression analysis and multiple regression.
The results showed samplings of the I,II, III,IV,V and VI periods (at the mean of water
discharge of the river), the highest mercury concentration was found in the effluent, and they
tended to weaken the further the sampling spots towards the lower stream. Mercury
concentration strengthened at certain spots for particles of the sediments were stirred up, and
because of other mining activities around them. Water discharge influence on mercury
concentration is not significant because of the higher the water discharge the more would be the
waste released into the river. Based on the results of this analysis both in water, sediment, plants,
aquatic animals and the human hair of Tulabolo River has been polluted by mercury due to the
traditional mining. The interviews reveal that mercury on the communities inhabiting Tulabolo
River banks are symptoms of the beginning result mercury poisoning. The results of mercury
concentration on scalp hair, 6,67 % of the respondents are above the quality standards threshold
and 26,67 % of them tend to approach the quality standards threshold recomemmended by NCR
at 12 ppm and it indicate that community have contaminated.
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