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eISSN: 2083-5906
ISSN: 1230-1485
ISSN: 1230-1485
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Biofilm as a Natural Detector:
Monitoring Lead (Pb) Contamination
in the Industrial Rivers of Manyar, Gresik
1
Doctoral Program of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Airlangga,
Surabaya 60115, Indonesia
2
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia
3
Department of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia
Submission date: 2026-03-14
Final revision date: 2026-05-09
Acceptance date: 2026-06-05
Online publication date: 2026-09-11
Corresponding author
Agoes Soegianto
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia, Jl. Dharmahusada Permai No.1, 60115, Surabaya, Indonesia
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia, Jl. Dharmahusada Permai No.1, 60115, Surabaya, Indonesia
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Biofilm is a layer of complex microorganisms that grow and adhere strongly to solid surfaces, such as
rocks, sediments, and substrates on the riverbed. This study specifically examines the ability of biofilms
to absorb the heavy metal lead (Pb) in the aquatic ecosystem of the Manyar River, Gresik, Indonesia,
by comparing them to sediment and water media as the main comparative parameters. Sampling was
carried out at three strategic stations along the river flow, which represent variations in the level of
exposure to polluting sources: Station I upstream (near industrial activity), Station II in the middle,
and Station III downstream (away from sources of pollution). Lead concentrations were analyzed using
an accurate Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) method. The comparison between samples
was calculated through the BAF (Biofilm Accumulation Factor), BSAF (Biota-Sediment Accumulation
Factor), and Kd (Distribution Coefficient) indicators. The results of the analysis revealed that lead
content in August 2023 was highest at Station I, reflecting its proximity to the industrial zone, while
the lowest value was recorded at Station III. Notably, all measured lead concentrations exceeded the
national river water quality standard threshold (0.5 mg/L), indicating severe contamination. The most
notable finding is the remarkable accumulation capacity of biofilms: 83-90 times higher than water, and
90-91 times higher than sediments. This fact confirms the role of biofilm as a highly efficient natural
biomonitoring agent in the remediation of pollutants in polluted waters.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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| eISSN: | 2083-5906 |
| ISSN: | 1230-1485 |
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