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Risk of Soil and Water Pollution by Heavy Metals in Landfill Leachate

Conference Paper · March 2011

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The 12th Annual Conference of Thai Society of Agricultural Engineering
“International Conference on Agricultural Engineering” (Novelty, Clean and Sustainable)
Chon-Chan Pattaya Resort, Chonburi, Thailand; 31 March-1 April 2011

Risk of Soil and Water Pollution by Heavy Metals in Landfill Leachate

B.G. N. SEWWANDI*1,2, S.S.R.M.D.H.R WIJESEKARA2, Anushka RAJAPAKSHA2, M.I.M.
MOWJOOD3 and Meththika VITHANAGE2

Abstract
Environmental pollution due to landfill leachate has been studied extensively for inorganic and organic pollutants. This study
investigates the risk of soil and water pollution by heavy metals in leachate from a selected landfill in Gampola, Sri Lanka.
Leachate and soils from the landfill were collected and analyzed for heavy metals and quality rating scales were calculated. The
results reveal that the heavy metal concentrations in leachate is relatively low and highest quality rating scales of 54, 37 and 31 %
were resulted for Pb, Cr, Cd, respectively for the concentrations of 0.054, 0.037 and 0.031 mg L-1. Heavy metal concentrations in
soils were higher than that of leachate and showed a decreasing trend with increasing distance from the landfill. The highest
content of Cd, Mn and Cu were 21,173 and 2493 mg kg-1, respectively at the landfill whereas highest content of Zn, Ni, Pb and Cr
(1619, 76, 1003 and 239 mg kg-1, respectively) was found within 1 m distance from the dumpsite. Quality rating scales for Pb, Cr
and Cd were 251, 80 and 57 %, respectively based on the soil quality standards in Thailand which indicates the degree of soil
contaminations by heavy metals in landfill leachate. It can be concluded that the soils are highly contaminated with heavy metals
from landfill leachate indicating the potential of the soils to be a natural attenuating agent. However, when the soils’ capacity
exceeds there is a possibility of ground and surface water contaminations by heavy metals in landfill leachate.

[Keywords] heavy metals, landfill leachate, quality rating scale

I Introduction contaminating the environment due to heavy metals in

The most common way of disposing municipal solid
wastes in Asian developing countries is placing in open
dumps or landfills (Abeynayaka and Werellagama, 2007;
Perera, 2003). The production of landfill leachate is one of
the major problems associated with landfills even with
sanitary landfills (Abbas et al., 2009).
Landfill leachate is produced when moisture is percolated
through the waste. While water percolates through wastes, it
gains dissolved and suspended components from
biodegradable wastes through physical and chemical
reactions. Being a country in the tropics high average
annual rainfall (2500 mm/yr) increases the leachate
production at the dumpsite. The quality as well as the
quantity of leachate is determined by the nature of the
wastes, climatic condition, age of the landfill, amount of
rainwater percolates through the wastes, biochemical
processes, moisture content of wastes dumped, the degree
of compaction of wastes and land filling technology (Snow
et al., 2008).
Landfill leachate may contain heavy metals as one of the
pollutants and therefore it must be treated before
discharging to the environment. Leachate flows as runoff
and ends up in a water body polluting the surface water.
Sometimes, it enters through the vadose zone to the
saturated zone polluting soil and groundwater in the
vicinity. Heavy metals are toxic in traces, detrimental to
both flora and fauna (Alluri et al., 2007; Das et al., 2008)
and cause several health hazards such as kidney damage,
liver damage, cancers etc.
Several studies could be found on other pollutants in
landfill leachate such as organic matter, suspended solids,
nitrogenous contaminants etc. (Ahn et al., 2002; Im et al.,
2001; Marttinen et al., 2002; Asadi et al., 2008). However,
the studies on heavy metals in landfill leachate are scarce.
Thus, it is important to identify whether there is a risk of
*Corresponding author, Tel: (94)71512-4437; Fax: (94)81239-5454 E-mail address:
sewwandidh@yahoo.com
1
Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
2
Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Road, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
3
Department of Agric. Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
landfill leachate. Therefore, the objective of this research
was to determine the risk of soil and water pollution by
heavy metals in landfill leachate produced by one of the
municipal solid waste dumping sites in Sri Lanka.
II Materials and Methods
An analysis of leachate and soil samples was carried out
to identify the heavy metals present in landfill leachate and
soils collected from the landfill site located at Gampola, Sri
Lanka.
Leachate samples were collected from the drainage canal
which is located behind the landfill in weekly interval. Soil
samples were collected at 0.5 m distance intervals from the
landfill in downward direction.
1. Analysis of leachate
Leachate samples were collected from the landfill site in
weekly interval. The collected samples were analyzed for
Zn, Cr, Cd, Ni, Cu and Pb using the flame method of
Atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) (GBC 933,
Australia). Quality rating scales were calculated for the
analyzed metals based on both maximum allowable limits
for water quality parameters in wastewater to be discharged
to inland surface water and Sri Lankan standards for
portable water using Eq. 1
(www.cea.lk/pdf/SWM/Guidlines; Ramakrishnaiah et al.,
2009).
Ci
qi   100 (1)
Si
Where,
qi = Quality rating scale (%)
Ci = Concentration of heavy metal in leachate (mg L-1)
Si = Tolerance limit/maximum permissible level of
The 12th Annual Conference of Thai Society of Agricultural Engineering
“International Conference on Agricultural Engineering” (Novelty, Clean and Sustainable)
Chon-Chan Pattaya Resort, Chonburi, Thailand; 31 March-1 April 2011

heavy metal (mg L-1 ) Mn 0.522 - - - -

2. Analysis of soil Even though, the quality rating scales for the heavy
Soil sample analysis was carried out to determine the metals in leachate based on tolerance limit to discharge
amount of heavy metals that has been retained by the soil. surface water sources are not exceeding the 100%,
Plant residues and debris were removed before air drying discharging such leachate for static water sources may
the soil samples. Then, soil samples were air dried under create water pollution problems. The landfill at Gampola is
shade at ambient temperature (25-30oC) and crushed by located very near to the River Mahaweli, the main drinking
mortar and pestle. The crushed soil samples were sieved water source for the area and therefore direct discharging of
through 63-105 µm sieves. The soil samples of 1 g were landfill leachate can cause problems to human as well as
digested in a closed vessel device using temperature control environment. Even the drinking water supplied by the
microwave heating system (Milestone ETHOS PLUS National Water Supply and Drainage Board of Sri Lanka is
labstation with HRP-1000/10S high pressure segmented not monitored for heavy metals and pesticides thus water
rotor) with HNO3 (16 mL), HCl (10 mL) and HF (3 mL). contaminations by wastewater which contains heavy metals
The extraction was separated and analyzed for heavy metals such as landfill leachate are not recorded in Sri Lanka
after digestion using the AAS (Anonymous, 1999). Heavy (Ileperuma, 2000). In addition, the results indicate that there
metal content in soil was compared with the soil quality is a possibility of adding heavy metals to the water bodies
standards for habitat and agriculture in Thailand since Sri and the remediation measures has to be taken immediately.
Lanka does not have soil quality standards for any purpose It is interesting to note that the concentrations of heavy
for heavy metals metals in soil extractions are very much higher than that of
(http://www.pcd.go.th/info_serv/en_reg_std_soil01.html) landfill leachate. The variation of amount of heavy metals
and quality rating scales were calculated based on the that has been retained by the soil with the distance from the
standard limits by using Eq. 1. Heavy metal content present landfill has shown in Fig. 1. The heavy metal content in
in soils of landfill site at Gampola was compared with same soils is higher closer to the landfill and is decreasing with
data of Gohagoda landfill, the largest municipal solid waste the increase in distance from the landfill. The highest
dumping site in Kandy city. The both landfills have been concentrations of Cd, Mn and Cu were 21,173 and 2493 mg
located in nearby cities, in wet zone of Sri Lanka. kg-1 , respectively at the landfill whereas highest content of
1619, 76, 1003 and 239 mg kg-1 for Zn, Ni, Pb and Cr,
III Results and Discussion respectively was found within 1 m distance from the
landfill. This may be due to the different mobilization
Even though, the concentration of some metals in landfill
abilities of metals. The results itself clearly indicates the
leachate or soil is very low, their effect on the environment
ability of soil to adsorb heavy metals from the landfill
and human are higher than the metals with high
leachate and this could be the reason to have very low
concentrations. Therefore, quality rating scale was used to
concentrations of heavy metals in leachate than soils. As the
compare the effect of heavy metals in leachate as well as
leachate is flowing through the soil, heavy metals in
soils from the landfill. The quality rating scale values with
leachate may have been adsorbed or complexes to the soil
regard to the metal concentrations in landfill leachate are
particles.
shown in Table 1. The higher quality rating scales of 54, 37
The quality rating scales for Pb, Cr and Cd were 251, 80
and 31 % were resulted from Pb, Cr and Cd, respectively
and 57%, respectively in soils of the landfill (Table 2)
based on the maximum allowable limits of heavy metals in
which indicates the adverse effects of heavy metals on the
wastewater to be discharged into inland surface waters.
environment. Abenayaka and Werellagama (2007) have
Cadmium is released to the environment by welding and
found that 77-79 % of wastes dumped are biodegradable in
electroplating, with fertilizer, pesticides and Cd-Ni
nature from a study carried out in the same area. Even
batteries. Paints and pesticides are the possible sources of
though, the biodegradable wastes are the largest fraction of
Pb in the area while Chromium is used in electroplating,
municipal solid waste dumped in landfills in Sri Lanka, the
leather tanning, metal finishing, textile dyeing, wood
degraded materials from landfills cannot be used as a
preservations and alloy preparation resulting chromium in
fertilizer due to high content of heavy metals. This further
wastes from these industries (Mohanty et al., 2006;
emphasizes that the restrictions of using degraded materials
Ileperuma, 2000). Since there is no sorting of wastes before
from landfill as compost or used for agricultural purposes
the disposal, all the wastes collected from the municipality
with current practices of solid waste management in Sri
area are dumped in the landfill and that could be the reason
Lanka. The use of soil contaminated with heavy metals may
for high concentrations of those metals in leachate.
cause bioaccumulation of heavy metals resulting health
hazards. However, in this study we focused on the total
Table 1: Concentrations and quality rating scales for heavy
heavy metal concentrations in soils contaminated by the
metals in leachate
landfill leachate.
Concent Quality rating
Tolerance limit (mg L-1)
ration in scale (%)
Metal
leachate Surface Drinking Surface Drinking
(mg L-1) water water water water
Cu 0.137 3.0 1.50 4.6 9.1
Cr 0.037 0.1 0.05 37.0 74.0
Cd 0.031 0.1 0.005 31.0 620.0
Ni 0.084 0.3 - 28.0 -
Pb 0.054 0.1 0.05 54.0 108.0
Zn 0.173 5.0 5.0 32.6 32.6
The 12th Annual Conference of Thai Society of Agricultural Engineering
“International Conference on Agricultural Engineering” (Novelty, Clean and Sustainable)
Chon-Chan Pattaya Resort, Chonburi, Thailand; 31 March-1 April 2011

samples collection was carried out during the rainy season

which causes dilution of pollutants. Therefore, actual
amount of heavy metals in both leachate and soils could be
higher than the values that have been reported in this paper.

IV Summary and Conclusions

The maximum concentration of Pb, Cd, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni
and Cr was resulted as 0.084, 0.033, 0.174, 0.522, 0.171,
0.128 and 0.037 mg L-1, respectively in landfill leachate
collected from the landfill. Accordingly, the highest quality
rating scales were of 54, 37 and 31 % were resulted from
Pb, Cr and Cd, respectively for landfill leachate based on
the maximum allowable limits of heavy metals in
wastewater in Sri Lanka.
Fig. 1 Metal availability variation with the distance from The highest amount of Cd, Mn and Cu in soil was found
the landfill as 21, 172 and 2493 mg kg-1 at the landfill. Maximum
Soil metal availability in Gampola landfill is higher than the concentration of Pb and Cr were 1003 and 238 mg kg -1,
metal availability in Gohagoda site (Figure 2). Soils of the respectively at the 1 m distance from the landfill. Further,
Gampola landfill site are rich in Cu, Zn and Pb than the the highest content of Zn and Ni was found as 1618 and 76
Gohagoda landfill site. In contrast, landfill site at Gohagoda mg kg-1, respectively at 0.5 m distance from the landfill.
is rich with Mn than that of Gampola site. Even though, the Though, the highest Ni content was at the 0.5 m away from
Gohagoda landfill is larger in extent and older than the the landfill, there is no significant difference among the
Gampola landfill, metal availability in soil is very low metal content with the increasing distance from the landfill.
compared to the Gampola landfill. This may be influenced Quality rating scales for Pb, Cr and Cd were 251, 80 and
by the soil characteristics of two sites such as soil texture, 57 %, respectively based on the soil quality standards in
soil structure, organic matter content as well as the waste Thailand which indicates the degree of soil contaminations
characteristics etc. Further, as it has been explained by by heavy metals in landfill leachate.
Appel et al. (2008), there are soils with different affinities It can be concluded that the soils are highly contaminated
for heavy metals as well as heavy metal themselves exhibit with heavy metals from landfill leachate indicating the
different affinities for soil surfaces and therefore that could potential of the soils to be a natural attenuating agent.
also be a reason for differences in metal availability in two However, when the soils’ capacity exceeds there is a
sites. possibility of ground and surface water contaminations by
heavy metals in landfill leachate. This study was conducted
Table 2 Heavy metal availability and quality rating scales as a preliminary study for a research on development of a
for soils of the landfill filter to remove heavy metals from landfill leachate.
Heavy Metal Soil quality Quality Therefore, future studies will be conducted to assess locally
metal availability standards rating scale available agricultural by products and to find out optimum
(mg kg-1) (mg kg-1 ) (%) conditions for removal of heavy metals and thereby to
Cu 2492.6 - - develop a filter to be installed in solid waste landfills.
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Cd 20.9 37 56.5 References
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“International Conference on Agricultural Engineering” (Novelty, Clean and Sustainable)
Chon-Chan Pattaya Resort, Chonburi, Thailand; 31 March-1 April 2011
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