EFFECTIVENESS OF THE APPLICATION OF MACROALGAE (Eucheuma spinosum) AS ABSORPTION AGENT OF METAL IN POLLUTED WATERS

Copper, manganese and zinc are micronutrients, although essential in small quantities for plant and animal life, but in high concentrations become dangerous. Technology to remove heavy metals from water and wastewater is often ineffective, expensive and difficult to applied in developing countries. The need to find alternative methods inexpensive and effective for reduction of heavy metals from waters become inevitable. Biosorption is an emerging field and has great potential for application in developing countries. This involves the use of biological material to remove pollutants from the water and wastewater industry solutions, such as the use of macroalgae. Therefore, engineering aims to examine the use of macroalgae as absorbent metals in polluted waters. Tests carried out on the container container which has been filled with waste water, artificial metal containing Pb amount of 80 liters, according to treatment that Treatment A (Control), Treatment B (0.2 ppm Pb), Treatment C (0.4 ppm Pb) and treatment D (0.6 ppm Pb) with 3 replications, then placed macroalgae Euchema spinosum amount of 900 g, the test carried out for 19 days. The data collected is the level of metal content in macroalgae. Based on test data obtained highest levels of Pb in treatment D is 2,053 mg / kg, followed by treatment C (1,582 mg / kg), B (0.644 mg / kg) and A (0288 mg / kg). While the magnitude of the adsorption rate of Pb in the treatment of A (1:55 mg / kg), C (1,079 mg / kg), B (0141 mg / kg) and A (-0215 ​​mg / kg), as shown in the chart. The mechanism of adsorption on the surface of cells is dominant, where the adsorption capacity of algae are also reported to increase with increasing pH. The use of macroalgae species Euchema spinosum for the adsorption of metal and bioremediation because this type resistant to a variety of extreme conditions, so tolerant of waste. Based on the results of these activities are expected to use macroalgae can be developed in tackling metal pollution in the waters effectively and inexpensively, while the use of macroalgae biomass can be used as fertilizer for houseplants.