Kajian Risiko Kesehatan Masyarakat Akibat Pajanan Merkuri Pada Pertambangan Emas Rakyat Di Kabupaten Lebak, Banten

Indonesia has artisanal gold mining spreading throughout the archipelago, one of which is located in Lebak District of Banten Province. The artisanal gold mining usually use mercury in the amalgamation process. The latest fact showed that mercury used in artisanal gold minings has been directly discharged to the surrounding environment, polluting soil and rivers. Whereas mercury is considered as one of the hazardous and toxic waste (B3) that cannot be directly discharged to the environment as it can cause several health problems. The purpose of this research is to identify mercury concentrations in the environment of Cibeber and Bayah Sub Districts, Lebak District, Banten Province and its effect to the health of community who is in contact with the disposed mercury. This is an analytic descriptive research that uses a health risk assessment method and quantitative approach. This research reveals that mercury concentrations in samples of water, fish, vegetables, and soil taken from the surrounding environment in the research location have exceeded the quality standard which respectively average 0,04695 mg/l, 0,5175 mg/kg, 0,173 mg/kg, and 0,165 mg/kg. The health risk assessment shows that community lives surrounding the gold mining has potency to suffer related health problems as the RQ rate is higher than 1 (RQ = 18,5756)

The Conduct of Mothers as Users of Milk Bottles and the Incidence of Diarrhea in Infants

Diarrheal disease is still one of the major diseases in public health problems in Indonesia because of its high incidence and mortality. Almost all cases of acute diarrhea are caused by bacterial infection, the most frequent of which is diarrhea, an infection of the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli). These bacteria enter the human body through the hands or through tools such as bottles, pacifiers, thermometers and eating utensils contaminated by the feces of patients or carriers. The purpose of this study is to determine the correlation between the conduct of mothers as users of milk bottles for their infants in Sub-District Kayuringin South Bekasi Jaya, Bekasi District in 2008. A total of 160 persons made up the sample of mothers who participated in this study, which centered on the ways in which the bottles used for the infants were cleaned and the milk prepared. The results of the study showed that there was no correlation between the conduct of the mothers and the presence of E. coli. The result of the study implies that there are other factors that may be leading to the occurrence of diarrhea, such as environmental and individual health factors, specifically those related to hygiene, socio-cultural factors, nutritional factors, and social factors