LEAD (PB) ACCUMULATION ON LEPRARIA SP. AS AIR POLLUTION BIOINDICATOR IN BANDUNG CITY

• Main Author: Fauzan Akbar, Muhammad
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/52315
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Motor vehicle is the main source of air pollution in urban area, so its increase could raise the number of pollutant in air. One of which is lead (Pb) emitted from gasoline combustion. Lichen is symbiotic organism composed from fungi and green algae or cyanobacteria. Lichen has been used as environmental bioindicator for a long time. This study aims to analyze the ability of lichen as air pollution indicator by measuring lichen species richness and measuring Pb accumulation on Lepraria sp. The study was conducted in W. R. Supratman Street, Bandung. Lichen species was recorded by taking samples until there are no more new species. Pb accumulation on Lepraria sp. was measured using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Swietenia macrophylla bark pH was measured using Universal pH Indicator. Daily average temperature and daily average humidity data was retrieved from BMKG Online Database. Traffic volume data was retrieved from other studies. Data was statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics. Four lichen species were found, namely Dirinaria sp., Candelaria concolor, Parmotrema sp., and Lepraria sp. Pb accumulation on Lepraria sp. measured at 113,25 mg/kg, lower than the concentration measured in 2006, with significant difference (P?0.05). From the retrieved data, daily average temperature shows increase, with significant difference (P?0.05), while daily average humidity shows decline, without significant difference (P>0.05). The decline in Lepraria sp. Pb accumulation between 2006 and 2020 was not presumed to be caused by increase in traffic volume, but rather because the decline in atmospheric Pb pollution after the ban on leaded gasoline in Indonesia since July 2006. The ban starts after UU No. 23/1997 and the instruction from Minister of Environment Indonesia on 2000 was enacted. From this study, it can be concluded that four species were found in the study site and lichen has the ability to accumulate Pb. There is a decline in Pb accumulation on Lepraria sp. between 2006 and 2020, assumed as a result of leaded gasoline ban.