DKI Provincial Government Says No Fish Contaminated With Paracetamol Even Though The Seawater Is Still Polluted

Photo archive - The Jakarta bay area on the Ancol coast in North Jakarta, Tuesday, October 28 (Photo: Dewa Ketut Sudiarta Wiguna/Antara)

JAKARTA - Head of the DKI Jakarta Food, Maritime, and Agriculture Security Agency (DKPKP), Suharini Eliawati, said that there were no fish or other marine biota contaminated with paracetamol in Jakarta Bay. Although, currently Jakarta's seawater is still polluted with paracetamol.

This is known based on the results of DKPKP research. Suharini explained that DKPKP took 23 samples of marine life such as fish and shellfish at four points in Jakarta Bay.

"Of the 23 samples, marine biota, there are fish and shellfish, which can be tested only 22 samples. The other one is because it is small and has a lot of soil, so only 22 were tested," Suharini told reporters, Wednesday, October 27.

Then, the samples were analyzed at the Regional Health Laboratory (Labkesda) DKI. On October 12, the test results came out and it was stated that the marine biota was not contaminated with paracetamol.

"So the results on October 12 by Labkesda were not detected by paracetamol. We took samples of the fish with such results and we submitted the results to the Environmental Service. It will be made into a report," explained Suharini.

For information, after the uproar over the finding of paracetamol content whose samples were taken in 2017, the DKI Provincial Government again took samples of Jakarta seawater on October 2.

After completing the study, the Head of the Environmental Service Asep Kuswanto said that currently, the paracetamol content was still contaminating the seawater of Jakarta Bay. However, not as many as the findings of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in 2017.

"Our study has been completed for the paracetamol. Indeed, the value we get is not as big as that available or released by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). But the content is around 200 nanograms. The BRIN is around 600 nanograms," said Asep.