Marine Science Expert FMIPA UI: National Heavy Metal Research Must Undergo Diversification and Downstreaming

Marine Science Expert from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI), Prof. Dr. Dra. Noverita Dian Takarina, M.Sc., was appointed as Professor in the field of Marine Biota Ecophysiology, FMIPA UI by the Chancellor of UI, Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D., at the Convention Hall, UI Depok Campus, Wednesday (9/87/2023). This event was also broadcast live via the YouTube channels of the University of Indonesia and UI Teve.

Through a scientific oration entitled "Diversification and Downstreaming of Heavy Metal Research for Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems", Prof. Noverita said that Indonesia's tropical coastal waters and ecosystems are currently threatened by pressures related to anthropogenic activities (human activities), such as agriculture, mining, fisheries, and settlements. As a single ecosystem, the coast and sea are influenced by various environmental variables and their surrounding ecosystems. One of these variables is the input of waste from land (land-based) and from the sea (sea-based) containing heavy metals.

Based on their benefits for living things, heavy metals are grouped into essential and non-essential metals. Heavy metals have properties that are difficult to degrade so that they can be distributed in dissolved, suspended, and sedimentary forms at the bottom of the water (sediment). The content of heavy metals in sediment tends to be higher than in water and aquatic biota. If these compounds accumulate in the body of the biota, it can cause organ and tissue dysfunction.

Seeing this complex situation, Prof. Noverita said that national-level heavy metal research must be diversified and downstreamed. Heavy metal research must be able to be downstreamed into products as one of the heavy metal mitigation efforts. In her presentation, the downstreaming presented was the innovation of adsorbents in the form of Zeolite Embedded Sheet (ZES) and the estimation of optimal performance of this adsorbent through Random Forest modeling.

To deal with this, heavy metal data analysis requires a breakthrough. As a follow-up, data analysis in future heavy metal research will utilize artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence has been used to determine the effect of each variable that affects the efficiency of ZES in absorbing heavy metals in water. By using one of the artificial intelligence modules, namely Random Forest, it can be known with certainty at what concentration of heavy metals ZES works optimally. In addition, it can also be known at what pH and water temperature ZES can work optimally.

Given the diverse environmental challenges, in accordance with SDGs 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDGs 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and especially SDGs 14 (Life Below Water), applied research is needed to address the challenges of heavy metals and other waste in national waters. In line with the SDGs that have been initiated, the research conducted by Prof. Noverita has covered several of these goals.

"As a habitat for aquatic biota, I emphasize once again that the presence of heavy metal contaminants can affect the biota and consumers who eat the biota. Risk assessment allows the determination of the minimum intake amount so that the threat of heavy metals can be reduced. With the development of research through diversification and downstreaming, it is hoped that it can help determine mitigation steps," said Prof. Noverita.

Attending the inauguration ceremony were the General Chairperson of ID Forum Prof. Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro, S.E., M.U.P., Ph.D; President Director of PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Nandi Julianto; Vice President Director of PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Bob Azam; Advisory Board of KADIN Indonesia Muhammad Edhie Purnawan, S.E., M.A., Ph.D.; and Professor of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) Prof. Joko Santoso.

Prof. Noverita completed her undergraduate education at the Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in 1989. Then, she obtained her master's degree in 1996 at the Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. In 2014, she successfully completed her doctoral education at the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Department of Marine Science and Technology, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).

This year, Prof. Noverita has published various scientific works, including the titles Machine learning using random forest to model heavy metals removal efficiency using a zeolite-embedded sheet in water; Land use variation impacts on trace elements in the tissues and health risks of a commercial fish; Modeling the tropical fish community related to land uses and environmental determinants; and Potential risks of heavy metals in green mussels (Perna viridis) harvested from Cilincing and Kamal Muara, Jakarta Bay, Indonesia to human health.

News source : https://sci.ui.ac.id/