Assessment of heavy metals contamination in soil due to leachate migration from open dumpsites in agbor area, delta state. Nigeria

Abstract

The concentration of heavy metals was studied in the soil samples collected around the municipal solid waste (MSW) open dumpsites in Agbor Area, to understand the heavy metal contamination due to leachate migration from the open dumping sites. The dumpsites receive approximately 300-400 tonnes of municipal solid waste. Solid waste characterization was carried out for the municipal solid waste to know the basic composition of solid waste which is dumped in the dumping site. The heavy metals concentration in the soil samples was analyzed. The heavy metal concentration in the collected soil sample was found in the following order: Fe>Zn>Ni>Cu>Pb>Cr>Cd. The presence of heavy metals in soil samples indicates that there is appreciable contamination of the soil by leaching migration from an open dumping site. However, these pollutants species will continuously migrate and attenuate through the soil strata and after a certain period of time, they might contaminate the groundwater system if there is no action to be taken to prevent this phenomenon.