Prof. Dr. rer.nat. Budiawan Studies Risks and Benefits of Chemicals to Protect Public Health and the Environment

Depok, March 8, 2023. Prof. Dr. rer.nat. Budiawan was inaugurated as a professor at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at the Convention Hall, UI Depok Campus. On that occasion, he presented his studies related to the risks and benefits of precise chemicals for health and environmental protection.

In his inaugural speech, Prof. Budiawan, who is also the Vice Dean for Education, Research and Student Affairs of FMIPA UI, said that Indonesia is a country rich in chemicals sourced from nature. Among them are the mining sector, petroleum, coal, and other natural resources based on other natural chemicals. However, it is very unfortunate that the scope of mastery of science and technology (IPTEK) and also the ability of quality human resources (HR) in assessing and managing the risks of chemical utilization in a precise, intelligent, careful, well-measured, and correct manner is still very weak.

“Chemicals naturally have inherently dangerous properties and pose a risk to health and the environment if they are not used precisely, namely intelligently, carefully, measured, correctly and safely). Incident misuse and abuse or the misuse and incorrect use of chemicals so far, such as the use of explosives by terrorists, cases of cyanide coffee, formalin or borax in food and cases of Ethylene Glycol and Diethylene Glycol in children's cough syrup which have resulted in deaths. lesson learn or a lesson for us," said Prof. Budiawan. Therefore, he added, the management of chemical risks in regulations or policies must be integrated (not sectoral) and harmonious in line with international policies, but still pay attention to the priority of national interests.

Chemical risk assessment is a concept based on scientific research and data with output data results carried out through a process for assessing the risks and benefits of chemicals. The goal is to protect the public and the environment from the potential adverse effects of an activity or use of chemicals throughout their life cycle (chemical life cycle).

In the research conducted by Prof. Budiawan and his team, the focus was specifically on research and studies on the bioaccumulation of chemical compounds. in situ and in vivo. In addition to protecting the community and the environment, this risk assessment aims to maximize the use of chemicals to improve community welfare and community protection as per the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "Increasing the added value of chemical benefits through the downstreaming of our natural resources should be able to improve the welfare and prosperity of the Nation as mandated by the 1945 Constitution," said Prof. Budiawan.

The inauguration procession of the professor was led directly by the Chancellor of UI, Prof. Ari Kuncoro, SE, MA, Ph.D., and broadcast virtually through the Universitas Indonesia Youtube channel and UI Teve. "The results of this toxicology study are very necessary and help in making wise decisions between the risks and benefits of chemicals precisely in addition to other important toxic parameter factors to be studied, so that the management of chemical risks is safe for public health and the environment," said Prof. Ari. Also present at the procession were the Cabinet Secretary of the Republic of Indonesia 2010-2014, Dr. Dipo Alam and the Director General of Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement, Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, Rasio Rido Sani.

Prof. Budiawan completed his undergraduate education at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Padjajaran University and graduated in 1987. Then, he continued his master's education Dipl. Chem at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Würzburg, Germany (1994). Still at the same campus, he earned the title of Doktors der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) Institute for Toxicology, in 1998.

Some of his scientific works in recent years include: The Effect of Zinc Speciation and Its Concentration on Bioaccumulation in Pomfret (Colossoma macropomum) and Sepat Fish (Trichogaster Trichopterus) yang terbit pada 2023, In-Vitro Study of Acrylamide and TBHQ Compounds on The Generation of DNA Adduct 8-Hydroxy-2’-Deoxyguanosine as Biomarker of Oxidative DNA Damage (2022), Bioaccumulation and retention kinetics of trace elements in the horse mussels Modiolus micropterus exposed to different environmental conditions (2021), dan Detection of DNA adduct 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as a toxicity bioindicator to the effects of nickel on Ni-Cr alloy prosthesis users (2020).

News source : https://sci.ui.ac.id/