Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of municipal solid waste (MSW) used as landfilling on the ground water quality and health effects on the community. The study was carried out in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province- Pakistan. To assess the impacts, 13 ground water samples were collected from Solid Waste Dumping Sites (SWDS) and 13 from Safe Sites (SS). Ground water was analyzed for pH, Turbidity, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Hardness (TH), Cl−, Ca+ 2, K+ 1, NO− 2, NO− 3, SO4 − 2; heavy metals such as Pb, Cr, Mn, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd, Fe; biological parameter such as Total Coliform. Waste sample collected from SWDS showed that food and garden waste were present highest percentage by weight (30.5%) followed by fines (17.3%). The two groups (SWDS and SS) differ significantly for the parameters like EC, TH, COD, Na, Ca, NO3− and SO4 − 2 Ni and TC. Samples collected from SWDS (84%) were found contaminated with TC ranged 2–22. It was analyzed that pH, EC, TDS, COD, TH, NO3−, SO4 − 2, NO2−, Ca+ 2, Na+, TC, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd and TC were more in the sample collected from 70–130 feet than 140–200 feet. TC found in 70–80 feet depth was significantly different from rest of the groups. Similarly, significant difference regarding different parameters for various depths was found for K+ 1, Ca+ 2, NO2−, Pb, Cu and Fe. The results of the questionnaire survey revealed negative correlation between the diseases and distance from the landfilling sites and significant correlation was observed for typhoid, cholera skin allergies and gastro enteritis. The study confirmed that using MSW as a fill material has contaminated the ground water quality and leveling of land through MSW is not safe. Deep drilling is recommended for extraction of ground water in the contaminated area to minimize the associated health risks.
Assessment of Ground Water Quality at Municipal Solid Waste Dumping Site-Sewapura, Jaipur
