title: Influence of a Municipal Waste Landfill on the Spatial Distribution of Mercury in the Environment.
abstract: The study investigations were focused on assessing the influence of a 35-year-old municipal waste landfill on environmental mercury pollution. The total Hg content was determined in the soil profile, groundwater, and the plants (Solidago virgaurea and Poaceae sp.) in the landfill area. Environmental pollution near the landfill was relatively low. The topsoil layer, groundwater and the leaves of Solidago virgaurea and Poaceae sp. contained 19-271 μg kg-1, 0.36-3.01 μg l-1, 19-66 μg kg-1 and 8-29 μg kg-1 of Hg, respectively. The total Hg content in the soil decreased with the depth. The results are presented as pollution maps of the landfill area based on the total Hg content in the soil, groundwater and plants. Statistical analysis revealed the lack of correlation between the total Hg content in the soil and plants, but a relationship between the total concentration of Hg in groundwater and soil was shown. The landfill is not a direct source of pollution in the area. The type of land morphology did not influence the pollution level. Construction of bentonite cut-off wall bypassing MSW landfill reduces the risk of mercury release into ground-water environment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Protection-National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland; Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gworek
authors.affiliation: Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland; Botanical Garden-Centre for Biological Diversity Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dmuchowski
authors.affiliation: Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gozdowski
authors.affiliation: Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Eugeniusz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koda
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Protection-National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Osiecka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Protection-National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borzyszkowski
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005843:Geography; D060587:Groundwater; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000378:metabolism; D011044:Poland; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D036624:Solidago / Q000378:metabolism; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D064091:Waste Disposal Facilities; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury