POTENSI BELIMBING BAJO (Sarcotheca celebica VELDK) SEBAGAI TUMBUHAN AKUMULATOR UNTUK REMEDIASI LAHAN YANG MENGALAMI CEKAMAN LOGAM BERAT NIKEL

Abstract

Starfruit bajo (Sarcotheca celebica Veldk) is an endogenous plant that is commonly found growing around
the Nickel mining area in Sorowako. The ability to grow bajo starfruit in post-Nickel mining areas that have high Ni
metal content can be caused by bajo starfruit which has a high adaptability to the environment with Ni content in the soil.
To determine the ability of bajo starfruit plants to absorb Ni from the soil, this experiment was carried out by planting
seedlings of bajo starfruit in a 40 x 50 cm polybag using a planting medium taken from the land after Nickel mining in
Sorowako with Ni content of around 8926 ppm. Analysis of the content of Ni in soil and leaves was carried out five
times, namely at planting (t0), when the plants were 12 MST (t1), 17 MST (t2), 21 MST (t3) and 25 MST. Soil samples
and bajo starfruit leaves analyzed were composite samples. The results showed that the total Ni content of the soil
planted with bajo starfruit decreased from time to time, from 8926 ppm at the beginning of planting (t0) to 2494.75 ppm
when the bajo starfruit plant was 25 MST (t4) or about 72.05 %. Ni content in bajo starfruit leaves increased from 86.47
ppm (t0) to 158.45 ppm (t1) or around 45.42%, but tended to decrease along with the decrease in the amount of Ni
content in the soil.