Researchers Uncover New Data on Environmental Protection in Indonesia

In a significant breakthrough, researchers at the Universitas Jenderal Soedirman have identified a novel approach to reduce cadmium contamination in rice fields, a serious environmental and health problem in Indonesia. The study focused on using indigenous microbes, specifically bacteria, to remediate contaminated soil and liquid media. The researchers successfully isolated five bacteria species, including Priestia megaterium, Neobacillus ginsengisoli, and Gottfriedia sp., which demonstrated high tolerance to cadmium and significantly reduced its presence in contaminated media.

Key Takeaways:

• The study aimed to obtain indigenous bacteria from cadmium-contaminated rice fields and determine their ability to reduce Cd contamination in liquid and soil media.
• Soil samples were taken from six locations of Cd-contaminated rice fields in Banyumas Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, and the population of soil bacteria was calculated.
• Selected isolates were tested for their tolerance and ability to reduce Cd, with the most prominent Cd-tolerant bacteria found in soil samples from Ajibarang with 1.8 x 10^6 CFU/g of soil.
• The researchers obtained five isolates with high tolerance to Cd, up to 100 ppm, and ability to reduce Cd by 45.58% to 70.02% in liquid media and from 0.92 ppm to 0.02 ppm in soil media.
• All bacterial isolates are non-pathogenic to plants.
• The study concluded that the isolates have the potential to be used to reduce Cd contamination and remediate rice fields contaminated with Cd.

Statistics:

• 1.8 x 10^6 CFU/g of soil, the population of soil bacteria in soil samples from Ajibarang.
• 45.58% to 70.02% reduction in Cd in liquid media using the isolated bacteria.
• Up to 100 ppm, the highest tolerance to cadmium demonstrated by the isolated bacteria.
• 0.92 ppm to 0.02 ppm reduction in Cd in soil media using the isolated bacteria.

Sources:

• Cadmium (Cd) heavy metal reduction in liquid and soil using indigenous soil bacteria isolated from Cd-contaminated paddy fields. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management, 2025,12(5):8561-8569.
• University of Brawijaya
• Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
• Sapto Nugroho Hadi, Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman Jl. Dr. Soeparno 61 Purwokerto, Central Java, Indonesia.