Akhmad Dwi Priyatno, Daniel Saputra, Fuad Abd. Rachman, Rico Januar Sitorus5 and Novrikasari and Marsidi
Abstract
Glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) has been used in plantation areas as an herbicide and continuously increased use over the past decade. However, the excesses use of glyphosate potentially formed the residues which accumulate in agricultural products and become pollution for the environment. The presence of glyphosate in the environment threat not only biological elements but also the community which impacts death. This research aimed to trace the active ingredient of glyphosate in the plantation area of PT X in Banyuasin District-Indonesia. The samples were water, ambient air, and soil taken in the plantation area. In the water body, the highest residue of glyphosate was found in the main drain (0,02 μg/L), followed by a collection drain (<0,005 μg/L), and consumed water (<0,005 μg/L). The water pH differentiated the contained glyphosate which correlated to how the glyphosate dissolved in the water. In the soil sample, the highest glyphosate was found in the plantation which has never harvested (immature plant) showing 0,09 mg/kg of glyphosate. The most possible reason was that in those area has lower palm trees (1-3 meters) and mostly dominated by weeds. In the ambient air, the concentration of glyphosate was 125,50 μg/m3 and still under the threshold value regulated by the government of the Republic of Indonesia. The low concentration of glyphosate in the air was because most of the glyphosate applied in the plantation area was in the liquid phase which sprays directly to the weeds. The possible mist formed during the spraying was down to the soil or water. In conclusion, the contamination of glyphosate in the plantation area of PT. X in Banyuasin District, Indonesia was under the threshold value of environmental quality standard.