Authors : Endan Suwandana, Kensuke Kawamura and Endro Soeyanto
Abstract: This study evaluated the concentrations of heavy metals and nutrients in the seawater, seagrass and sediments of Banten bay, Indonesia and their spatial distributional patterns. Field sampling was conducted on August 24 and 25, 2010; seawater and sediment samples were collected from sixteen stations and seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) samples were collected from six stations. The results revealed that in general, the seawater in Banten bay was less polluted than that in Jakarta bay (Indonesia) although, some elements were present at higher concentrations. Most of the heavy metal concentrations in the seawater were below detection limits. All heavy metal concentrations in the sediments were also lower than those found in Jakarta bay. In the seagrass, the concentrations of iron, copper, zinc, mercury, phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen were higher than those found in Jakarta bay, Larymna bay (Turkey) and the Gulf of Mexico (concentrations of cadmium and lead were not). The distribution patterns of elements such as iron, zinc, cadmium, copper, mercury, nitrogen and phosphorus, revealed that they accumulated in the center of the bay as a result of oceanographic processes.
Endan Suwandana, Kensuke Kawamura and Endro Soeyanto, 2011. Assessment of the Heavy Metals and Nutrients Status in the Seawater, Sediment and Seagrass in Banten Bay, Indonesia and Their Distributional Patterns. Journal of Fisheries International, 6: 18-25.