Impact of mercury contamination by artisanal mining on soil and the use of natural zeolite for stabilization

Artisanal gold mining (ASGM) commonly found in Indonesia, particularly in Banyumas, Central Java, which is still processing the gold ore by using mercury. The objective of this study to examine the concentration and mobility of mercury contamination on the soil in the study area and to investigate the potential use of natural zeolite for stabilization mercury in contaminated soil. The soil samples were obtained from the top layer and subsurface and then analyzed for mercury concentrations and mobility. Soil stabilization experiment was conducted by using natural zeolite from Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta and the effects of natural zeolites in the reduction of the concentration of mercury was investigated by assessed Jatropha curcas plant. The result shows that the higher mercury concentration was found in topsoil rather than the subsurface. The result of mobility analysis shows that most mercury fractions are associated with organic mercury followed by mercury element fractions. Soil stabilization experiment revealed that adding natural zeolites as soil additives will reduce the concentrations of Hg in plant material which of the important point leading to the entry of mercury into the food chain.