Magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal contamination in Bat Cave Guano in the Karst Area Rammang-Rammang maros, Indonesia.

Bat Cave is one of the caves in the Karst area of Rammang-Rammang Maros. Inside the cave, can be found guano that comes from bat droppings. Human activities indicate the presence of sediment transport from the outside into the cave. As a result, guano may be contaminated with heavy metals. The aim of this study was to analyse the magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal contamination in Bat cave guano. The method used was the measurement of susceptibility with Bartington Susceptibility Meter and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). The results showed that the magnetic susceptibility value of guano was in the range from 7.2-147.6 x 10−8 m3/kg. Thus, magnetic minerals can be categorized as a paramagnetic and (canted) antiferromagnetic. XRF results show that guano contains heavy metal elements such as Fe, Cu, and Zn. The high magnetic susceptibility and concentration of heavy metals in guano were effected by pedogenesis, bacterial magnetosomes, autogenic or biogenic, and anthropogenic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]