RAMBUT SEBAGAI BIOINDIKATOR PENCEMARAN TIMBAL PADA PENDUDUK DI KECAMATAN SEMARANG UTARA

Timbal (Pb) bersifat toksik, karsinogenik, bioakumulator dan biomagnifikasi. Bioakumulasi Pb dapat terjadi pada kuku, hati dan rambut. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mendeteksi apakah telah terjadi pencemaran timbal pada penduduk di kecamatan Semarang Utara dengan menggunakan rambut sebagai bioindikator. Penelitian deskriptif eksploratif ini menggunakan populasi seluruh penduduk di kecamatan Semarang Utara. Sampel diambil dengan teknik purposive sampling yaitu penduduk laki-laki berumur antara 17 sampai dengan 50 tahun yang tinggal di kelurahan Tanjung Mas dan Bandarharjo Semarang Utara, minimal selama 5 tahun terakhir terus menerus. Kadar timbal pada tubuh dideteksi dari kadar timbal yang terakumulasi pada rambut. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat kandungan timbal pada rambut 56 sampel.  Kadar timbal  tertinggi sebesar 17,028 ppm dan rata-rata 8,304 ppm. Penyebabnya diduga bukan berasal dari emisis kendaraan bermotor di jalan raya mengingat profesi sampel sebagian besar adalah nelayan, tetapi kemungkinan berasal dari air minum yang mereka konsumsi. Sampel air minum yang dikonsumsi terdeteksi mengandung timbal rata-rata 6 ppm. Simpulan dari penelitian ini telah terjadi pencemaran timbal pada sebagian penduduk  Semarang Utara dengan tingkat ringan sampai sedang. Pencemaran diduga berasal dari air minum yang dikonsumsi. Lead (Pb) are toxic, carcinogenic, bioaccumulator and biomagnification. Pb bioaccumulation may occur in the nail, liver and hair. The research aimed to detect whether lead pollution has affected the people in North Semarang, using hair as bioindicator. The population of this explorative descriptive research was all residents of Sub-District of North Semarang. Samples were taken using purposive sampling technique, i.e. male residents of Tanjung Mas and Bandarharjo aged between 17 and 50 years, who have stayed in the sites for at least 5 years without interruption. The lead level in their body was detected from their hair strand using AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometery). Research showed that lead substance was detected in hair strands from 56 people.  The highest level was 17.028 ppm and the average level was 8,304 ppm. It was suggested that the lead pollutant was not from motor vehicles emisions on the roads cause most samples were fishermen, instead it was suspected that the drinking water was the source of the lead. It was supported by the fact that the drinking water consumed daily by the residents has been contaminated by lead at the level of 6 ppm. Conclusion the lead pollution has affected some residents of North Semarang, ranging from low level to medium level. Presumably, the pollution was originated from the consumed drinking water