Assessment of the Impact of Landfill Leachate on Groundwater Quality in Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21546045Keywords:
landfill, contamination, Leachate, physicochemical, groundwaterAbstract
Groundwater contamination resulting from landfill leachate has become a major environmental concern in many developing countries due to indiscriminate solid waste disposal practices. This study assessed the impact of landfill leachate on groundwater quality around the Umuchima landfill site in Ihiagwa, Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria. Four leachate samples and four groundwater samples from boreholes located within 12–30 m of the dumpsite were collected and analyzed alongside two control groundwater samples located away from the landfill. Standard analytical procedures involving spectrophotometric and titrimetric methods were employed to determine selected physicochemical parameters including pH, temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), electrical conductivity, nitrate, sulphate, chloride, total hardness, bicarbonate, carbonate, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. The results showed that leachate contained elevated concentrations of dissolved solids, suspended solids, conductivity, chloride, hardness, bicarbonate, and other dissolved constituents. Groundwater samples collected near the landfill exhibited considerably higher values of turbidity, TDS, TSS, electrical conductivity, chloride, nitrate, sulphate, and total hardness than the control samples, indicating the influence of leachate migration into the surrounding aquifer. These findings agree with previous studies that identified landfill leachate as a major source of groundwater pollution. Although heavy metal concentrations remained relatively low, the elevated physicochemical parameters demonstrate deterioration in groundwater quality associated with landfill activities. The study concludes that landfill leachate has adversely affected groundwater quality in the study area and recommends continuous groundwater monitoring, improved landfill engineering with leachate collection systems, and regular environmental assessment to safeguard public health and groundwater resources
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