Leachate Characterization and Assessment of Groundwater Pollution Near Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Site

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment Vol. 118; no. 1-3; pp. 435 - 456
• Main Authors: Mor, Suman, Ravindra, Khaiwal, Dahiya, R. P, Chandra, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrect Dordrecht : Kluwer Academic Publishers 01.07.2006; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Assessments; Chlorides - analysis; Cities; Contamination; Copper; Domestic water; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Enterobacteriaceae - isolation & purification; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Groundwater; groundwater contamination; Groundwater pollution; Groundwaters; health risk; Heavy metals; India; Iron; Landfill; Landfills; leachate; Leachates; Metal concentrations; Metals - analysis; Microorganisms; Municipal solid waste; Natural water pollution; Nitrates - analysis; Percolation; Phenols; Pollution; Pollution abatement; Pollution sources; Pollution, environment geology; Refuse Disposal; remedial measure; solid waste; Sulfates - analysis; tracer; Urban and domestic wastes; Waste disposal sites; Waste management; Wastes; Water analysis; Water Microbiology; Water Pollutants - analysis; Water pollution; Water Pollution - prevention & control; Water quality; Water sampling; Water supply; Water Supply - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; Zinc; Delhi; Asia; India; India, Delhi; health risk; Waste dumping; Microbiology; remedial measure; Pollution control; Pollution prevention; Urban waste; tracer; Heavy metal; Aquifers; landfill; Waste management; Decontamination; Risk assessment; Pathogenic; Health hazards; Solid waste; Water pollution; Biological contamination; Leachate; Physicochemical properties; groundwater contamination; Ground water
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-006-1505-7

Leachate and groundwater samples were collected from Gazipur landfill-site and its adjacent area to study the possible impact of leachate percolation on groundwater quality. Concentration of various physico-chemical parameters including heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) and microbiological parameters (total coliform (TC) and faecal coliform (FC)) were determined in groundwater and leachate samples. The moderately high concentrations of Cl-, NO- ₃, SO²- ₄, NH⁺ ₄, Phenol, Fe, Zn and COD in groundwater, likely indicate that groundwater quality is being significantly affected by leachate percolation. Further they proved to be as tracers for groundwater contamination. The effect of depth and distance of the well from the pollution source was also investigated. The presence of TC and FC in groundwater warns for the groundwater quality and thus renders the associated aquifer unreliable for domestic water supply and other uses. Although some remedial measures are suggested to reduce further groundwater contamination via leachate percolation, the present study demand for the proper management of waste in Delhi.