Non-availability of metals from an urban landfill in Virginia

• Published in: Chemical speciation and bioavailability Vol. 7; no. 2; pp. 65 - 72
• Main Authors: Nimmo, Del Wayne R., Willox, Mary J., Karish, John F., Tessari, John D., Craig, Terri L., Gasser, Ervin G., Self, James R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 01.01.1995
• Subjects: aquatic resources; Biomonitoring; Ceriodaphnia dubia; Hyalella azteca; metals; Pimephales promelas; sediments
• ISSN: 0954-2299; 2047-6523
• DOI: 10.1080/09542299.1995.11083244

A toxicological assessment of a landfill, located in the Fort Darling Unit of Richmond National Battlefield Park (RICH), Virginia, was conducted from 1989 to 1992. After using acute and chronic toxicity tests, and priority pollutant analysis on shipped samples of water and sediments collected from a small unnamed tributary to the James River, and water collected from four monitoring wells constructed into the landfill, it was concluded that toxic conditions to aquatic life did not exist. For acute tests conducted on tributary water and sediments, three species of traditionally used aquatic organisms (Ceriodaphnia dubia, Pimphales promalas, Hyalella azteca) and one plant species (Latuca sativa) were used. For chronic tests conducted on tributary water, Ceriodaphnia dubia was used. Priority pollutant analyses of tributary water and sediments and water from monitoring wells in the landfill also did not reveal organic or inorganic chemicals at hazardous levels although metal concentrations in sediments often exceeded thousands of parts per million. An analysis of metals in both tributary water and sediments suggest that metals entering the tributary through the landfill's leachates precipitate out of the water and armour the substrate preventing the establishment of permanent aquatic life.