Judul: Studi Sebaran Limbah Air Panas PLTU Paiton dari Observasi dan Pemodelan Numerik.
Abstrak: Kebutuhan listrik di kalangan masyarakat apalagi dalam kegiatan industri setiap tahunnya terjadi kenaikan permintaan. Teknologi yang digunakan dalam memproduksi listrik salah satunya adalah Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Uap (PLTU), dimana PLTU Paiton merupakan salah satu PLTU terbesar di Indonesia dengan jumlah 9 unit pembangkit dan memiliki kapasitas sebesar 4972 MW serta dapat menditribusikan listrik ke Pulau Jawa dan Bali. Keberadaan PLTU di perairan Paiton diduga mempengaruhi karakteristik perairan tersebut. Hal ini karena selain memproduksi listrik, juga menghasilkan limbah air panas dari proses penyerapan uap panas yang masuk ke perairan pantai melalui kanal buangan (outlet). Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengetahui proses sebaran limbah air panas dari PLTU Paiton baik secara horizontal maupun secara vertikal dengan metode observasi dan model numerik. Validasi model pasang surut dengan data observasi memiliki nilai korelasi yang tinggi (r = +0,908). Validasi model sebaran limbah air panas di permukaan dengan hasil observasi memiliki nilai RMSE sebesar (e = 0,96). Pola sirkulasi laut di perairan Pantai Paiton dikendalikan utamanya oleh gaya pasang surut, dimana pola aliran pada saat pasang menuju kearah barat atau baratlaut, sedangkan pada saat surut menuju kearah timur atau tenggara. Hasil observasi menunjukkan suhu dari limbah air panas di muka outlet tercatat antara 30°C sampai 40°C. Secara vertikal, pelapisan limbah air panas di dekat outlet mencapai kedalaman 5 m dan secara horisontal ketebalannya semakin tipis pada jarak sekitar 500 m dari mulut outlet. Hasil model menunjukkan distribusi sebaran limbah panas terjadi lebih luas saat surut minimum.
Keyword: PLTU Paiton, limbah air panas, pengukuran CTD, model hidrodinamika

Judul: Thermal Dispersion Modelling of Labuan Power Plant Wastewater Discharge
Abstrak: Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Uap (PLTU) Labuan dengan kapasitas total 600 MW berpotensi menyebarkan limbah air panas hasil proses pendinginan ke perairan pantai Labuan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji pola sebaran limbah air panas serta menganalisis luas dan jarak sebaran limbah tersebut di PLTU Labuan. Sebaran limbah air panas disimulasikan melalui model dispersi termal 2-dimensi menggunakan perangkat lunak MOHID Studio 2016. Validasi model dengan data observasi diperoleh koefisien korelasi sekitar 0,922 (elevasi pasang surut), 0,071 (arus zonal), 0,114 (arus meridional), dan 0,877 (suhu air laut). Pola sebaran arus permukaan di perairan Labuan dominan bergerak menuju daratan saat kondisi pasang dan menjauhi daratan saat kondisi surut dengan kecepatan arus maksimal sekitar 0-1 ms-1. Di bagian barat domain model arus cenderung bergerak ke arah selatan-barat daya, namun di wilayah dekat dengan daratan arus cenderung bergerak ke utara-timur laut menyusuri pantai. Sebaran limbah air panas PLTU terjadi maksimum pada kondisi surut. Air buangan pada skenario normal memiliki interval suhu 30 ºC – 37,8 ºC. Pada kondisi surut, luasan limbah air panas dengan suhu >32 ºC pada skenario normal adalah 1,0475 km² dan menyebar sampai jarak 1.200 m dari titik outlet. Air buangan pada skenario maksimum memiliki interval suhu 30 ºC – 40 ºC. Pada kondisi surut, luasan limbah air panas dengan suhu >32 ºC pada skenario maksimum sekitar 1,365 km² dan menyebar sampai jarak 1.350 m dari titik outlet., Labuan Power Plant with a total capacity of 600 MW has the potential to spread thermal waste water from the cooling process to the Labuan coastal waters. This research aimed to study the distribution pattern of thermal waste water and to analyze the area and distance of the distribution of the waste at Labuan Power Plant. Thermal distribution was simulated through a 2-dimensional thermal dispersion model using MOHID Studio 2016 software. Validation of the model with observation data obtained correlation coefficients of around 0,922 (tidal elevation), 0,071 (zonal current), 0,114 (meridional current), and 0,877 (sea surface temperature). The pattern of surface currents in Labuan waters is dominantly moving towards the mainland during high tide conditions and away from the mainland during low tide conditions with maximum current velocity of around 0-1 ms-1. In the western part of the research domain, currents tend to move to south-southwest, but in areas close to the mainland, currents tend to move to north-northeast along the coast. The distribution of Power Plant thermal waste water is maximum at low tide. Wastewater in the normal scenario has a temperature interval of 30 °C - 37.8 °C. At low tide, the thermal waste water area with a temperature >32 °C in the normal scenario is around 1,0475 km² and spreads to a distance of 1.200 m from the outlet point. Wastewater in the maximum scenario has a temperature interval of 30 °C – 40 °C. At low tide, the thermal waste water area with a temperature >32 °C in the maximum scenario is around 1,365 km² and spreads to a distance of 1.350 m from the outlet point.
Keyword: limbah air panas, model dispersi termal, PLTU Labuan, sistem MOHID, Labuan Power Plant, MOHID system, thermal dispersion model, thermal waste water

Judul: Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Spatial Memory Performance and Neuron Complexity
Abstrak: Alcoholic beverages have always been a common drink all around the globe. The ethanol that is contained inside these alcoholic beverages have been known to have various negative side effects to the brain if consumed excessively. Other articles have claimed a certain moderate amount of alcohol consumption could have beneficial effects on the brain, but no exact concentration limit of consumption has been elaborated to cause damage in the hippocampal area. The objective of this research is examining the effects of alcohol towards neuron complexity and spatial memory performance. Four groups of mice were used as test subjects and were given the solution pre-orally. The first group is the control group which is given water, the second group was given 5% alcohol, the third group was given 15% alcohol, and the fourth group was given commercially sold alcoholic beverage. The mice were given said solutions in the span of 30 days. Spatial memory performance is observed by how a mice scores inside a Y-maze in the span of 5 minutes after 30 days of treatment. Neuron complexity is determined by the number of intersections of dendrites and the maximum angle of neurons inside the Dentate Gyrus (DG) and Cornu Ammonis (CA) region of the hippocampus which is observed by Golgi-Cox staining, photographed with optilab and then analyzed using the ImageJ application. alcohol consumption does not have any significant effect on spatial memory performance nor neuron complexity in the hippocampal area. These findings are not significantly different than the control group, possibly because the treatment is not chronic enough to trigger a significant physiological change.
Keyword: Ethanol, spatial memory, complexity, hippocampus