Seawater in Angke, Ancol Contaminated with Paracetamol, Study Finds

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Seawater in Angke and Ancol areas, North Jakarta, highly contained common pain reliever Paracetamol, according to a preliminary study published in the international journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 169, August 2021, accessible at www.sciencedirect.com.

“High concentrations of paracetamol were detected at Angke (610 ng/L) and Ancol (420 ng/L),” as read in the study’s abstract. 

The study, entitled "High concentrations of paracetamol in effluent dominated waters of Jakarta Bay, Indonesia," was written by four researchers. They are Wulan Koagouw, George W.J. Olivier, and Corina Ciocan from the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, and Zainal Arifin from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

The study was the first to report the presence of paracetamol (acetaminophen) in the coastal waters around the archipelago. Researchers collected water samples from effluent-dominated locations in the country, viz. four sites in Jakarta Bay and one on the north coast of Central Java.

Besides the paracetamol content, the four researchers found that the nutrient parameters exceeded the Indonesian Standard Quality of Seawater limits and metal content.

“The findings raise concerns about the environmental risks associated with long-term exposure and, especially, the impact on nearby shellfish farms,” it said.

The researchers also noted that further investigations into seawater in Angke and Ancol were necessary given pharmaceuticals' considerations as emerging contaminants.

Read: Environment Ministry: 59 Percent of Indonesian Rivers Severely Polluted

LANI DIANA WIJAYA