Municipal Solid Waste Dump Research Articles

Soil degradation around Orji municipal solid waste dump site: a spatial assessment.

The present study assessed the impact of municipal solid waste dump on the degradation of soil around Orji dump site. A total of 15 soil samples were collected for this study. Twelve soil samples were collected around the dump site at 0m, 10m, and 20m distance and three from Imo State University (IMSU) research farm as control. The samples were collected from the east, west, north, and south of the dump site. The samples were subjected to laboratory analyses. The mean results obtained indicate that the values of the dump site soil parameters analyzed ranged from 86.67 to 89.00% (sand), 4.33 to 5.67% (silt), 7.00 to 7.67% (clay), 6.80 to 7.50 (pH), 4.33 to 7.00 dS m-1 electric conductivity (EC), 0.0028 to 0.0045mgkg-1 (salinity), 2.36 to 3.76% soil organic matter (SOM), 24.13 to 38.93 cmolc kg-1 cation exchange capacity (CEC), 4.50 to 9.57 cmolc kg-1 calcium (Ca), and 1.0 to 2.25 cmolc kg-1 magnesium (Mg). At the control, mean values were 81.24% (sand), 6.39% (silt), 12.45% (clay), 5.69 (pH), 0.47 dS m-1 (EC), 0.0005mgkg-1 (salinity), 1.99% (SOM), 5.08 cmolc kg-1 (CEC), 2.17 cmolc kg-1 (Ca), and 1.67 cmolc kg-1 (Mg). These values showed substantial enrichment. Correlations indicate that EC, salinity, and CEC majorly determined the availability of most of the parameters analyzed. Soil degradation index (SDI) was used to determine degradation around the dump site. It ranged from 2.546.61% (0m) to 1573.50% (10m) and 1.603.73% (20m). Thus, distance affected the rate of soil degradation in all directions away from the dump site.

Assessment Of Soil Quality Index In Municipal Solid Waste Dumping Area Of Chandrapur City, Maharashtra

Assessment Of Soil Quality Index In Municipal Solid Waste Dumping Area Of Chandrapur City, Maharashtra

SPATIO-TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEMS OF MUNICIPAL WASTE LOCALISATION AREAS USING GIS AND REMOTE SENSING DATA

The Zdovbytsia municipal solid waste (MSW) dump (the Rivne region, Ukraine) as a case study allows demonstrating informativeness of identifying waste dump sites and the adjusted areas using the spectral characteristics and texture of earth’s covers obtained from the satellite images for the different years. To identify the MSW dump in the surveyed area, direct coding features were considered, which characterized the properties of the object and are directly represented in the images. These are such features as geometric (shape, shadow, size), brightness (phototone, brightness level, color, spectral image), structural (texture, structure) ones. In addition, satellite images reliably identified the presence of discharging from the dump area, their directions, areas of unloading, the damage to herbaceous cover and other vegetation, etc. The informativeness of the study of dynamics for dump geometrical parameters, the change of its internal “structure,” the functional changes in the surrounding ecosystem elements (first, the changes in the forest stands and agricultural lands) is demonstrated. In particular, satellite image data for the period of 2003 to 2021 allow identifying the increase in a number of the Zdovbytsia MSW dump sites at the expense of adjacent forest stands. Thus, in 2003 one site of the dump is operated, whereas in 2019—already three ones, that integrated in 2021. The study of dynamics for the change of the total area of dump has revealed the increase of this area by approximately 6.25 times (from 6 521 m2 in 2003 to 20 438 m2 in 2021). In addition, the total perimeter along the contours of its stages has enlarged more than 3.35 times (from 438 to 1 466 m, respectively). The use of satellite images of higher spatial resolution in the area of about 0.6 m/pixel will specify the cases of unsatisfactory condition of the dump.

Identification of municipal solid waste disposal sites for sustainable solid waste management in Cooch Behar Municipality, West Bengal: A RS-GIS based MCDA approach

The proper disposal of solid waste represents one of the most intricate environmental challenges encountered by the municipalities of West Bengal. The municipality of Cooch Behar, a rapidly developing part of the Koch Bihar district of West Bengal, was selected as a case study. A health and environmental threat is created by the disposal of solid waste from the municipality area in an open place in Guriahati G.P., 6 km from the town and near the Torsa River. This study aimsto identify the most suitable areas for the disposal and dumping of municipal solid waste. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, the weights of the seventeen causative factors were allocated based on their relevance to identify the appropriate locations. The present study also introduces an innovative methodology employing GIS-based sensitivity analyses to enhance the optimisation of factors influencing suitable solid waste disposal site selection. Three possible waste disposal sites have been identified based on low land costs, the availability of barren land and the distance to settlements and sensitive places. The area under the ROC curve reveals that the AUC value is 0.895, which indicates that the level of accuracy of the model is 89.50 %. With a weight of 0.184, land value was found to be the most important criterion in the model, followed by distance to settlement (0.135) and distance to road (0.123). By carefully choosing suitable locations, this research could assist urban planners in developing a waste management system that is resilient and environmentally sustainable.

Bacteriological quality of drinking water from wells located near municipal solid waste dumps and liquid waste sites in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine the contamination level, seasonal distribution and the persistence of Salmonella sp, Vibrio cholera, and E. coli in well waters located near municipal solid and liquid waste dumpsites in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 186 samples: well water samples (96), soils from waste dump sites (72) and waste water (18), were collected for this study. Samples were plated using freshly prepared molten plate count, Eosine methylene blue agars, poured and swirled properly for a uniform mixture. The presence of E. coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio sp were determined for the two seasons (dry and wet). The bacteria count revealed a significant difference between well waters, soil samples, liquid waste and the control (total plate count - p < 0.005; 0.0001, total coliform count - p < 0.005; 0.0021). All the sampled well water had coliform counts higher than the recommended standard. The counts were higher in the wet season than the dry season. Out of a total of 125 suspected isolates tested, 70 (56%) were positive for Vibrio cholerae, out of this, 38 (54.3%), 28 (40%) and four (5.7%) isolates were from well water, solid waste dumps and liquid waste respectively. Out of the 177 suspected E. coli isolates from well water, solid waste dumps and liquid waste tested, 162 (91.5%) were positive with 82 (50.6%) of the positive E. coli further confirmed to be E. coli 0157:H7. The results showed significant (p < 0.05) statistical difference between the wet and the dry seasons for all the water samples studied and between control and the other well water samples. Adequate treatments of well water, as well as public health education are highly recommended.

Sand-bentonite backfill amended with composite polymer exposed to organic acid: Hydraulic performance and microstructural properties

Soil-bentonite (SB) backfills in vertical cutoff walls are used extensively to contain contaminated groundwater. Previous studies show that the hydraulic conductivity of backfill can exceed the typically recommended maximum value (k = 1 × 10−9 m/s) if exposed to groundwater impacted by organic acids commonly released from uncontrolled landfills and municipal solid waste dumps. Polymer amended backfills exhibit excellent chemical compatibility to metal-laden groundwater. However, few studies to date have explored the effect of organic acid contaminated groundwater on hydraulic performance of polymer amended backfills. This study presents an experimental investigation on the hydraulic performance and microstructural properties of a composite polymer amended backfill used to contain flow of acetic acid-laden groundwater. A series of laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate free-swell indices of the composite polymer amended bentonites, liquid limits of the composite polymer amended and unamended bentonites, and slump heights and hydraulic conductivity (k) values of the amended backfills to acetic acid solutions with varying concentrations. The results were compared with those of the unamended bentonites and unamended backfills reported in a previous study. The results showed that the free-swell index and liquid limit of the amended bentonites were higher than those of the unamended bentonites. Permeation with acetic acid solutions with concentrations ranging from 40 mmol/L to 320 mmol/L conducted on the amended backfill only resulted in an increase in k of less than a factor of about 10 related to that based on permeation with tap water (1.68 × 10−10 -4.41 × 10−11 m/s to acetic acid solution versus 1.65 × 10−11 m/s to tap water). Mechanisms contributing to enhanced chemical compatibility of amended backfill were ascertained based on scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and zeta potential analyses.

Arthropod Diversity of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in Ebonyi Waste to Wealth Company Abakaliki Ebonyi State, Nigeria

The study was designed to determine the diversity of arthropods in Ebonyi State waste to wealth Abakaliki, a municipal waste site (MWS) in Abakaliki where solid wastes of all sorts are deposited. The arthropod specimens were analysed using standard entomological technique of sweep net, pitfall traps and malaise trap respectively. Arthropod species identification was done morphologically at insect Museum Ahmed Bello University in Zaria. A total of 2000 arthropod specimens were collected comprising 8 orders, 18 families and 28 species. The most abundant species in diversity is Bengalia gallard 208 (10.4) followed by Musca domestica 205(10.2). Out of the 2000 individual species of arthropods collected from MSW dump site in Abakaliki, Diptera (48.30) and Hymenoptera (39.12) were the most prevalent while Dermaptera were the least in abundance. Four insect species were heterometabolic including medically important species, Blattela sp. (Blattodea). Insect Order Diversity in Respect to traps used for collection showed that pitfall trap with the total of 854 insects recorded the highest and Hymenoptera (43.2) recording the highest frequency. Shannon Weiner's Diversity Index of Insect Orders revealed that Diptera (0.48) had the highest diversity. Determination of the arthropod diversity in MSW will help in the control of possible vector borne disease epidemics especially in areas where there is no awareness of disease to its vector transmission.

Comprehensive characterization of unscientifically disposed municipal solid waste (MSW) in Kashmir Region, India.

Unscientific dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a common practice in Kashmir. To have an environmentally friendly and sustainable waste management system, MSW was collected from nine study locations of this region. They were air-dried, then oven-dried at 105°C for 24h, segregated, and characterized for various components. The overall average organic waste was > 55%, plastic waste about 17%, inert material about 10%, paper 9%, and cloth waste 7%. The calorific value of paper and plastic wastes exhibited was 4910kcal/kg, while organic waste had a calorific value of 1980kcal/kg. The proximate analysis showed that the moisture content ranged from 16 to 29%, volatile matter ranged from 49 to 72%, ash content ranged from 0.03 to 5%, and fixed carbon ranged from 5 to 20%. In S7, the volatile matter content recorded the lowest value at 49.15%, while in S5, the volatile matter content was notably higher at 71.84%, indicating easier ignition. Further, elemental analysis revealed that the major elements in MSW were carbon and oxygen, 53% and 37%, respectively, with small traces of heavy metals with an average of 0.02% cadmium (Cd) and 0.006% lead (Pb). Moreover, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) micrographs provided confirmation that the majority of components in the MSW exhibited either partial or complete degradation, resulting in a rough surface texture. In addition, the presence of silica and other silicate groups was also detected. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis revealed that the main functional groups were alcohol. In the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, all the major mineral phases were detected between 20 and 30° 2θ, except for the peaks at 50-60° 2θ in S3 and S9 where catalysts such as zeolite Y and zeolite X were detected. Overall, the MSW had low moisture content but higher calorific value, making it a viable feedstock.

Human and Ecological Risk Assessment of Soil and Plants Metal Contamination in a Tropical Municipal Solid Waste Dumping Site

ABSTRACT The growing open waste dumpsite contributes to heavy metal leaching, harming public health and ecosystem services. Hence, the study’s novelty lies in its integrated assessment of heavy metal concentration (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in soil and plants, incorporating risk assessment using both single and combined indexes in the largest active waste dumpsite in Kelantan, Malaysia. Heavy metal in soil samples Cu (164.896 ± 205.096), Pb (122.177 ± 93.309), and Cr (32.74 ± 26.569) were recorded to exceed the standards, while in the studied plants (castor bean, papaya, pea eggplant, and water spinach), Pb concentrations in all plant parts have surpassed the Malaysia Food Regulation (1985) and FAO/WHO guidelines (2016). Translocation factor (TF) in Cu, Cr, and Pb in water spinach and Cr, Cu, and Cd in pea eggplant have TF > 1. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) was < 1 in pea eggplant and water spinach except for Pb in pea eggplant. Correlation analysis revealed a strong correlation between heavy metals in the soil while contrasts in the plants. The potential ecological risk index (PERI) reveals that the soil waste dumpsite is contaminated with heavy metals. The hazard index (HI) and lifetime cancer risk (LCR) values of heavy metals on the soil surface had negligible non-cancer risks posed to adults and indicate that soil ingestion and dermal absorption were the two primary carcinogenic risk exposure routes. These findings implied that Beris Lalang waste dumpsite is a potential source of toxic pollutants to the environment and the local population. It is recommended to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study and design an implementation plan for leachate treatment plant. Additionally, a comprehensive assessment of the specific contaminants present in the leachate and their potential impacts on the environment should be conducted to inform targeted and effective treatment strategies.

A Projection Study of Gaseous Pollutants Formed, Potential Health Effects and Clinical Codification in Piyungan Landfill

The world is currently facing significant environmental challenges due to increasing urbanization and globalization. Human activities can produce greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO2 and CH4. One of the contributors to GHG generation is the open dumping of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), particularly because much of the waste is organic. It undergoes anaerobic decomposition, leading to the formation of GHGs, particularly methane. However, CH4 has a high potential for energy generation, and if harnessed properly, it can be highly beneficial. This study aims to assess the total air pollutants emitted from the landfill gas (LFG), including methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nonmethane organic compounds (NMOC) at the Regional Piyungan landfill in D.I. Yogyakarta province. The study also projected the year when the production of these gaseous pollutants would peak and when they are expected to be exhausted. Additionally, the study aimed to identify the potential health problems and clinical codification caused by these gaseous pollutants. To achieve these objectives, the LandGEM 3.03 version of the model developed by USEPA was used for the period 2023-2071. Clinical coding used the 2019 version of the ICD-10 reference. The estimated values for total LFG were 1.648E+04 (2024) and 1.584E+04 (2025) Mg/year, while CH4 was estimated at 4.403E+03 (2024) and 4.230E+03 (2025) Mg/year. CO2 was estimated to be 1,208E+04 (2024) and 1,161E+04 (2025) Mg/year, and NMOC was projected at 2,839E+01 (2024) and 2,727E+01 (2025) Mg/year. Some of the toxic effects that can occur cause respiratory, visual, and mental disorders with a variety of clinical codes.

Isotopic tracing of leachate percolation from municipal solid waste dump sites to groundwater in diverse climatic zones of India.

Groundwater resources in tropical regions are largely dependent on recharge by rainwater infiltration through soil layers with variable time. However, the rainwater infiltration through soil is a serious concern in urban tropics where it interacts with landfills at the dumpsites, potentially contaminating adjoining groundwater. In this study, the stable isotopic compositions of oxygen and hydrogen (δ18O and δ2H, respectively) in groundwater and leachates, adjoining municipal dumpsites in urban tropics (Bangalore, Kolkata and Durgapur located in diverse rainfall zonation of India), were analyzed to investigate their recharge sources and trace the possible mixing of leachate contaminants under three diverse climatology. The measured values of δ18O and δ2H suggested that the groundwater in these sites reflects higher recharge by rainwater. However, the d-excess values indicated secondary effects suggesting the groundwater has experienced significant modifications. The end member analysis using δ18O-d-excess relation pinpointed an additional leachate contribution from adjoining dumpsites. The critical fraction of leachate infiltration to groundwater quantified using two component mixing model ranged between (i) 1 and 33% in Bangalore, (ii) 5 and 13% in Kolkata and (iii) 18 and 76% in Durgapur, with its variability dependent on seasonality and aquifer connectivity. This information is crucial for groundwater management to secure water quality and to quantify potential hydrological contaminants particularly in drier seasons and drier regions, when and where the demand for groundwater is high, respectively.

Contaminant transport from solid waste dumps: Implications for environmental degradation with a focus on capital territory regions

Open dumping of Municipal solid waste is the main method of solid waste management in Pakistan. To investigate the impacts of leachate transportation from these waste dumps on groundwater quality, two sites were selected (I-12 in Islamabad and Lohsar in Rawalpindi), water samples were collected from existing wells during summer, winter, and rainy seasons and were analyzed for physiochemical parameters using standard methods. Most groundwater samples showed contamination and values of various parameters exceeded the desired limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ), especially during the rainy season, whereas the least contamination in groundwater samples was observed during the winter season. The results obtained were, pH: 5.75–7.87, Electrical Conductivity (EC): 103–3460 μS cm−1, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): 436–4425 mg L−1, Total Alkalinity (TA): 190–1330 mg L−1, Total Hardness (TH): 128–676 mg L−1, Chlorides (Cl⁻): 56.7–893.3 mg L−1, Nitrates (NO₃⁻): 7.8–19.9 mg L−1, Dissolved Oxygen (DO): 6.1–20.8 mg L−1, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD): 1.0–44.0 mg L−1 and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD): 56–272 mg L−1. The findings suggest that the magnitude of groundwater contamination from leachate transportation is intricately influenced by factors such as leachate composition, seasonal variations and distance from the dumpsite. The contamination level reduced along the distance from the dumps. Except Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn), the concentration of all other heavy metals including, Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) was found above standard appreciable limits. The t-test showed a significant difference in parameter concentrations for all seasons except for Cd and Zn. The calculation of water quality index through CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment) model revealed that all the groundwater samples around both the dump sites were of poor and marginal quality. In general, the groundwater quality of both study areas is not suitable for the drinking purpose. The study suggests regular testing and treating groundwater before use, use of engineered landfills, covering landfills with clay and vegetation and use of alternative strategies like composting and recycling for waste management.

Exploring genetic landscape of low-density polyethylene degradation for sustainable troubleshooting of plastic pollution at landfills

Plastic pollution increases globally due to the high volume of its production and inadequate mismanagement, leading to dumps in landfills affecting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Landfills, as sink for plastics, leach various toxic chemicals and microplastics into the environment. We scrutinized the genetic expression for low-density polyethylene (LDPE) degradation via microorganisms to investigate cell viability and metabolic activities for biodegradation and genetic profiling. Samples were collected from the Pirana waste landfill at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which is one of the largest and oldest municipal solid waste (MSW) dump sites in Asia. Results analyzed that isolated bacterial culture PN(A)1 (Bacillus cereus) is metabolically active on LDPE as carbon source during starvation conditions when incubated for up to 60 days, which was confirmed via 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduction test, reported cell viability and LDPE degradation. Abrasions, surface erosions, and cavity formations were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), whereas the breakdown of high molecular polymers converted to low molecules, i.e., depolymerization, was also observed via Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy over 90 days, along with changes in functional groups of carboxylic acids and aldehyde as well as the formation of polysulfide, aliphatic compounds, aromatic ethers, alcohols, and ether linkages. Further, transcriptomic analysis was performed via DESeq2 analysis to understand key gene expression patterns and pathways involved in LDPE degradation. During the initial phase of LDPE degradation, genes related to biological processes, like membrane transportation, ABC transporters, carbon and lipid metabolism, fatty acid degradation/oxidation, and TCA cycle, are likely to indicate pathways for stress response and molecular functions, like oxidoreductase, catalytic, lyase, transferase, and hydrolase activities were expressed. Interlinking between metabolic pathways indicates biodegradation process that mineralizes LDPE during subsequent incubation days. These pathways can be targeted for increasing the efficiency of LDPE degradation using microbes in future studies. Thus, considering microbial-mediated biodegradation as practical, eco-friendly, and low-cost alternatives, healthy biomes can degrade polymers in natural environments explored by understanding the genetic and enzymatic expression, connecting their role in the process to the likely metabolic pathways involved, thereby increasing the rate of their biodegradation.

Determination of the sanitary protection zone of municipal waste landfill based on evaluation of the environmental hazards: Case study of the Zhytomyr territorial community, Ukraine

Today, Ukraine is far from European standards, and the country's waste management system remains confronted with environmental and technogenic problems, with 7 % of the territory occupied by landfills. Most settlements in Ukraine do not have solid waste management programs or sanitation schemes. Landfills, and especially municipal solid waste dumps, are significant contributors to air, water, and soil pollution. The objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the environmental impact of landfills, to translate them from a descriptive and abstract plane to a mathematical plane, and to identify the sanitary protection zones currently utilized for landfills. The subject of this study is the municipal waste landfill of the Zhytomyr territorial community (Ukraine), a typical Ukrainian landfill operated with minimal environmental protection measures.The authors used an original approach to assess the environmental hazard of a municipal waste landfill, taking into consideration the values of absolute indicators of water pollution for specific physicochemical characteristics; maximum permissible concentrations of the studied indicators; distance from the landfill boundary; the amount of excess of the absolute indicator of pollution compared to the MPC; and the intensity of odor in the landfill. The calculated pollution indicators served as the basis for an integrated assessment of the environmental hazards posed by the municipal waste landfill.The study revealed that the Ot indicator (evaluation of the environmental hazards of municipal waste landfills) depends exponentially on the landfill boundary. Based on the value of Ot, environmental zoning was carried out: according to the calculations and taking into account the monitoring of the environmental condition in the landfill's impact zone, the authors recommended the parameters of environmental zoning on the basis of the Ot value.The purpose of this study is to clarify the sanitary protection zones that are currently used for landfills and solid household waste disposals.The research materials can also be used to create databases on landfills, enabling the development of a plan to manage them as sources of heightened environmental risk.

Evaluating groundwater contamination: An examination of a municipal solid waste dump yard in southern India's Manchester City

Groundwater is a critical resource that is utilized for a variety of reasons, but over-extraction can lead to a number of environmental and socioeconomic issues such as diminished water supply, land subsidence, and pollution. To manage groundwater resources in a sustainable manner, proper monitoring, regulation, and conservation strategies are required. Groundwater contamination in India is growing as a result of population increase and industrialisation, which can have serious health and environmental consequences. To avoid groundwater pollution, it is critical to monitor and control possible sources of contamination, as well as to promote sustainable farming practices and the use of less hazardous pesticides and fertilizers. To get a better knowledge of groundwater pollution, the current study attempted to analyse the quality of groundwater in the neighbourhood of the Vellalore dump yard (located in Coimbatore, India), encompassing an area of 161.87 hectares. To examine the quality of groundwater in the contaminated region, several physical and chemical properties such as pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, and water quality index were measured. The majority of the water samples from the region are classed as low quality and unsafe for drinking. The plume appears to be migrating northerly and northwest from the landfill location, most likely due to the natural slope of the dump site towards the northwestern direction. The bulk of the gathered samples have low water quality, making the water unfit for even basic residential use. These findings highlight the need of local governments taking proactive efforts to protect the groundwater in this area, pushing for a comprehensive approach to prevent additional pollution. The report emphasizes the critical need for local governments to take prompt action to prevent additional groundwater pollution by establishing a comprehensive strategy.

Environmental Impact Analysis of Methane Gas from Landfill using LCA in Klotok landfill, Kediri, East Java

The effective management of municipal solid waste is a persistent challenge within emerging nations. The observed phenomenon can be attributed to a multitude of reasons, encompassing swift economic growth, urban population development, garbage output, the substantial costs associated with waste treatment, and the design and functionality of containment systems. Methane, being the second most significant greenhouse gas following carbon dioxide, is prominently emitted into the environment by municipal solid waste dumps. This study use the IPCC model to assess the methane emissions generated by landfills. Additionally, Simapro 9.5 software is utilised in conjunction with the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint approach to evaluate the corresponding environmental consequences. The Klotok landfill was found to generate the maximum quantity of methane, specifically 3.518 Mg CO2 eq, as determined by the composition analysis of paper waste. Additionally, the largest environmental impact was observed in the category of human toxicity carcinogenicity, as indicated by the life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis with a value of 3733.057.

Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic in Raw Cow's Milk in a Central Andean Area and Risks for the Peruvian Populations.

Milk and its derivatives are basic foods in Peru, especially for children. The Junín region, in the central Andes, is one of the leading dairy basins. However, the safety of milk is affected by mining-metallurgical activities, wastewater dumping, organic residues, and inappropriate use of organophosphate fertilizers in agriculture whose contaminants reach the food chain, putting human health at risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bioaccumulation of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) in milk produced on a representative farm in central Peru, which uses phosphorous agrochemicals and is adjacent to a small mineral concentrator and a municipal solid waste dump, and to evaluate the potential risk for the Peruvian population of 2-85 years considering three levels of daily intake by age, which constitutes the innovative contribution of the study. These three elements were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry following standardized procedures. The mean contents of Pb (0.062 mg/kg), Cd (0.014 mg/kg), and As (0.030 mg/kg) in milk exceeded the maximum limits allowed by international standards. At all ages, the target quotient hazard followed a descending order of As > Pb > Cd, being > 1 in the case of As. The hazard index was >1 for children under 7, 9, and 11 years of age in the scenarios of low, medium, and high milk intake. The information is valid for formulating policies to prevent adverse health effects and develop standards and awareness programs, monitoring, and control of heavy metals in milk in Peru.

Geochemistry pollution status and ecotoxicological risk assessment of heavy metal(oid)s in soil influenced by co-landfilling of MSW and sewage sludge, Morocco

Landfilling activities are one of themajorsources of heavy metal(loid)s contamination. Thus, assessing the spatial distribution ofthese elementsand evaluatingtheirpotentialhazards to public health in the areas surrounding landfills is of utmost importance. In this paper, the synergistic effects of co-landfilling of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and Sewage Sludge (SS) were assessed using pollution indicators, PCA, HCA, and Montecarlo probabilistic human risk assessment. To do so, 19 soil, leachate, and sewage sludge samples were collected around the landfill and their content of heavy metal(oid)s was analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP-AES). The average concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni, Co, and Fe were 0.98, 3.14, 36.87, 41.90, 148.43, 21.64, 32.07, 4.02, and 3143.74 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. The concentration of all metal(oid)s was higher than the geochemical background and the highest amount was observed at the first 100 m from the landfill and the sampling sites affected directly by sewage sludge. The values of pollution indexes (geo-accumulation index, enrichment factor, pollution load index, ecological risk index) showedthat soils in the vicinity of the landfill displayed moderate to high contamination level, with a strong potential ecological impact. Furthermore, multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated that anthropogenic sources related to disposal practices of MSW and SS are the main responsible behind the revealed pollution. In addition, the deterministic and probabilistic human risk assessment highlighted that the non-carcinogenic risk for children and adults still within the acceptable limits. However, carcinogenic risk was well above the threshold values (10−4) for children. The elevated pollution level reflected the dangerousness of synergistic dumping of SS and MSW, which renders the avoidance of their co-landfilling mandatory.

Risk assessment of municipal solid waste (MSW) dumps using two-phase Random SPH: case study of three dumpsites

Risk assessment of municipal solid waste (MSW) dumps using two-phase Random SPH: case study of three dumpsites

Selection of Ideal MSW Incineration and Utilization Technology Routes Using MCDA for Different Waste Utilization Scenarios and Variable Conditions

Liability to prevent the consequences of an unhealthy situation due to accumulating toxic and hazardous emissions caused by open dumping of municipal solid waste with increasing urbanization has necessitated a renewed thinking on waste disposal. Grate-fired incineration systems were adopted by urban management in the past and present, but with criticism due to the formation of airborne emissions. Improved combustion methods like fluidized beds are now propagated because of current requirements like efficient energy recovery potential, stricter emission norms, adaptability with urban growth, adaptability to co-firing with other waste like biomass, edible oil wastes or industrial effluent, and integration with conventional energy generation. Such a comprehensive and futuristic approach is more sustainable for the community. A multi-criteria decision-making tool is used to identify the best technology option between grate combustion and fluidized bed combustion for disposing and energy recovery from waste. A total of 10 different collection and disposal options involving two combustion methods, namely, grate combustion and fluidized bed method, are considered. Utilization of the energy is done for three end uses, namely, power generation, water distillation, and district cooling. Two different regions in an arid climate zone are considered for this study under two types of scenarios, namely with recycling and without recycling. The different options are prioritized based on their overall ranking using five major performance factors.