Exploring hazard quotient, cancer risk, and health risks of toxic metals of the Mehmood Booti and Lakhodair landfill groundwaters, Pakistan

Abstract

Landfill sites are the most common types of polluted land as they contaminate the environment badly. Environmental management of polluted sites can only be efficiently done with an integrated risk assessment. Previous studies reveal the need for more scientific literature comparing groundwater quality and health risk assessment of landfill sites of Lahore. The present study aimed to investigate the heavy metal concentration in groundwater and to evaluate the health risk assessment of the population residing near these two landfill sites. Mehmood Booti dumping site and the Lakhodeir landfill site were selected for the study. Groundwater samples (n = 15) were collected within 1500 m from each landfill site and analyzed for heavy metals to estimate the risk. Heavy metal analysis exhibited that in the Mehmood Booti landfill site, Cd, Pb, Ni, and Zn exceeded the permissible limit of the “World Health Organization” In the Lakhodair landfill site, Cd, Ni and Zn were above the permissible limits. Risk assessment results demonstrated that heavy metals pose carcinogenic risks to humans. The health risk assessment results revealed that 35% of respondents from the Mehmood Booti landfill site and 15% from the Lakhodair landfill site confirmed a serious ecological risk to their health. The Mehmood Booti landfill site is a prospective source of noxious contaminants pollution to the nearby population compared to the lakhodair landfill site. This study may repeatedly replicate the risk estimation of other contaminated lands in a cost-effective, consistent, and cohesive manner.