Hydrogeochemical assessment of the sorption properties of heavy metals in the areas of the impact of solid waste landfills on groundwater

Summary

The fundamentals of the method for predicting the spread of heavy metals in the areas of groundwater pollution by leachate from solid municipal waste landfills are stated. The analysis of the leachate quality of municipal solid waste landfills and the applicability of statistical and empirical estimates of the sorption coefficient of heavy metals is carried out. The limited applicability of statistical estimates for analyzing the distribution of highly mineralized leachate is shown. Based on the method of geochemical simulation, a model has been developed for determining the exchange coefficients between the dissolved and solid phases, i. e. sorption coefficients. The results of determining the sorption coefficient for a wide range of cations are presented with regard to the conditions of natural water displacement by the leachate from solid waste landfills. The developed method can be used to estimate the impact of municipal solid waste landfills on groundwater quality, to predict the spread of heavy metals in the area of potential waste impact, to carry out works within the framework of EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and LEPM (List of Environmental Protection Measures), to develop systems for engineering protection of groundwater from pollution. The proposed model can serve as a basis for its further improvement with account of the processes of formation of stable organic metal complexes in leachate and complexation on the hard rocks.

Key words

ion exchange , heavy metals , geochemical modeling , cation sorption , municipal solid waste landfill