Hubungan Pajanan Merkuri Dengan Gejala Neurologis Pada Penambang Emas Tradisional Di Kecamatan Mantikulore Kota Palu

Latar belakang: Menggunakan merkuri pada proses amalgamasi dapat menyebabkan gejala neurologis pada penambang emas tradisional. Penelitian awal ditemukan 5 orang bergejala neurologis. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui hubungan pajanan merkuri dengan gejala neurologis penambang emas tradisional di Kecamatan Mantikulore Kota Palu.Metode: Merupakan penelitian observasi analitik dengan metode kuantitatif dan desain cross-sectional. Populasi adalah penambang emas tradisional di Kecamatan Mantikulore Kota Palu. Subjek penelitian adalah rambut 41 penambang emas tradisional di Kecamatan Mantikulore Kota Palu. Data diperoleh dengan wawancara dan pengukuran sampel rambut responden yang diukur di laboratorium dengan metode ICP-MS. Data dinalisis menggunakan SPSS dengan uji-square untuk melihat ada tidaknya hubungan antar variabel.Hasil: Hasil penelitian menunjukan kadar merkuri rambut responden ditemukan terendah 0,8038 µg/gr dan tertinggi 99,6737 µg/g dengan rata-rata 9,76 µg/g. Menurut WHO, ambang batas kadar Hg di rambut adalah 2 ppm. Penambang emas tradisonal di Kecamatan Mantikulore Kota Palu telah mengalami gejala neurologis berjumlah 63% yaitu sakit kepala, pelupa, mudah lelah, tremor, mati rasa, kesulitan berkosentrasi. Variabel yang berhubungan signifikan dengan gejala neurologis yaitu kadar merkuri 26(81,3%) dengan p-value=0,001, masa kerja >5 tahun ada 18(81,8%) dengan p-value=0,047, lama kerja >8 jam/hari 17(85,0%) dengan p-value=0,028, frekwensi pajanan >4 kali/hari 14(87,5%) dengan p-value=0,045, usia>40 tahun 14 (87,5%) dengan p-value=0,45.Analisis multivariat menjelaskan variabel yang sangat berisiko menimbulkan gejala neurologis pada penambang emas tradisional yaitu kadar merkuri rambut dan masa kerja.Simpulan: Ada hubungan signifikan antara kadar mercuri, masa kerja, lama kerja, frekuensi pajanan dan usia dengan gejala neurologis pada penambang emas tradisional di Kecamatan Manticulore, Kota Palu. ABSTRACTTitle: The Relatinship Between Mercury Exposure and Neurological Symptoms On Traditional Gold Miners in Mantikulore District, Palu CityBackground: Using mercury in amalgamation can cause neurological symptoms in traditional gold miners. Preliminary research found five people with neurological symptoms. This study aimed to determine the relationship between mercury exposure and neurological symptoms of conventional gold miners in Mantikulore District, Palu City.Methods: This is an analytic observational study with a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional design. The population is traditional gold miners in Mantikulore District, Palu City. The research subject was the hair of 41 convenstional gold miners in Mantikulore District, Palu City. Data were obtained by interviewing and measuring respondents' hair samples in the laboratory using the ICP-MS method. Data were analyzed using SPSS with a chi-square to see whether there was a relationship between the variables. Results: Measurement of mercury levels in respondents' hair found the lowest was 0.8038 µg/gr, and the highest was 99.6737 µg/g. Traditional gold miners in Mantikulore Subdistrict, Palu City, experienced neurological symptoms totaling 63%, namely headaches, forgetfulness, fatigue, tremors, numbness, difficulty concentrating. Independent variables have a significant relationship (α=0.05) with neurological symptoms, namely, concentration s of mercury 26(81.3%) of respondents with p-value=0,001, year’s of service >5 years, 18(81.8%) of respondents with p-value=0.047, length of work > 8 hours/day, 17( 85.0%) of respondents p-value= 0.028, frequency of exposure >4 times/day 14(87.5%) of respondentswith with p-value=0.045, age >40 year’s 14 (87,5%) of respondent with p-value=0,045. Analysis multivariate describes the variables that are very at risk of causing neurological symptoms in traditional gold miners, namely hair mercury levels and years of service.Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between mercury levels, year’s of service, length of work frequency of exposure, and age, with neurological symptoms in traditional gold miners in Mantikulore sub-district, Palu city.