title: Study of contaminant transport at an open-tipping waste disposal site.
abstract: Field and laboratory studies were conducted to estimate concentration of potential contaminants from landfill in the underlying groundwater, leachate, and surface water. Samples collected in the vicinity of the landfill were analyzed for physiochemical parameters, organic contaminants, and toxic heavy metals. Water quality results obtained were compared from published data and reports. The results indicate serious groundwater and surface water contamination in and around the waste disposal site. Analysis of the organic samples revealed that the site contains polychlorinated biphenyls and other organo-chlorine chemicals, principally chloro-benzenes. Although the amount of PCB concentration discovered was not extreme, their presence indicates a potentially serious environmental threat. Elevated concentrations of lead, copper, nickel, manganese, cadmium, and cobalt at the downgradient indicate that the contamination plume migrated further from the site, and the distribution of metals and metals containing wastes in the site is nonhomogeneous. These results clearly indicate that materials are poorly contained and are at risk of entering the environment. Therefore, full characterization of the dump contents and the integrity of the site are necessary to evaluate the scope of the problem and to identify suitable remediation options.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia. chemaqeel@gmail.com
authors.forename: Muhammad Aqeel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yusoff
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yusof
authors.forename: Yatimah
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Alias
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D060587:Groundwater / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls