Degradation of soil quality by the waste leachate in a Mediterranean semi-arid ecosystem

Sh Yeilagi,F Asadzadeh,Salar Rezapour

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-90699-1

Abstract

The assessment of soil quality indices in waste leachate-affected soils is vital to understand the threats of land quality degradation and how to control it. In this respect, a study was conducted on the effects of uncontrolled landfill leachate on soil quality index (SQI) in calcareous agricultural lands using 28 soil variables. Using the total data set (TDS) and minimum data set (MDS) approaches, the SQI was compared between leachate-affected soils (LAS) and control soils by the integrated quality index (IQI) and nemoro quality index (NQI) methods. The results revealed that LAS were significantly enriched by soil salinity-sodicity indices including electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), fertility indices including total N, available P and K, organic carbon, and cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, and Na), the available and total fractions of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni). After the leachate got its way into the soil, the values of IQI and NQI were dropped ranging 5–16% and 6.5–13% for the TDS approach and 5–15.2% and 7.5–12.2 for the MDS approach, respectively. Clearly, the data showed that soil quality degradation was encouraged and stimulated by the leachate. Among the different models of SQI applied in the present study, IQI determined by MDS was the optimal model to estimate soil quality and predict crop yields given the analysis of the correlations among the SQI models, the correlations between the SQI models and wheat yield, and sensitivity index values.

Highlights

The assessment of soil quality indices in waste leachate-affected soils is vital to understand the threats of land quality degradation and how to control it
The leachate inflow into the soil caused a rise of 42–67% and 35–71% in sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), respectively, which may have aggravated soil quality degradation, the degradation of soil physical properties
The leak of the leachate into soil increased the majority of soil variables mainly electrical conductivity (EC), SAR, ESP, total N, available P and K, exchangeable cations, and the available and total fractions of heavy metals significantly

Summary

Introduction

The assessment of soil quality indices in waste leachate-affected soils is vital to understand the threats of land quality degradation and how to control it In this respect, a study was conducted on the effects of uncontrolled landfill leachate on soil quality index (SQI) in calcareous agricultural lands using 28 soil variables. The scientific and systematic evaluation of leachates of MSW-affected soils can be a very important approach to establishing a proper management strategy to prevent soil degradation and alleviate the threats posed by the expansion of waste In this context, the development of the Soil Quality Index (SQI) may be a useful tool to help improve the management of waste soils[8,16]. These metals are a ubiquitous environmental pollutant which are non-biodegradable, can reduce capable soil resources, and have adverse effects on plant growth and y ield[2,16]

Objectives

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Conclusion