Our research into paracetamol contamination of coastal areas makes waves in Indonesia!!

Centre for Aquatic Environments‘ member Dr. Wulan Koagouw, has been caught in a media frenzy recently, being approached by several news agencies in Indonesia and Australia (including BBC, CNN, ABC, National Geographics, Reuters) as well as local and national regulatory agencies, to comment on a new study published in August 2021, in Marine Pollution Bulletin journal: High concentrations of paracetamol in effluent dominated waters of Jakarta Bay, Indonesia

The UoB team (Dr. Wulan Koagouw, Dr. George Olivier and Dr. Corina Ciocan) in collaboration with Prof. Zainal Arifin (National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia) investigated several water contaminants from four locations in Jakarta Bay and found high levels of paracetamol (compared to several other countries) in sea water, at sites dominated by waste disposal.

The news has mobilized the Provincial Government of the capital city Jakarta and its Environmental Agency to carry out a new sampling campaign, with the Ministry of Environment keen to re-assure the public! The findings also pave the way for a policy intervention regarding emerging contaminants in Indonesia.