Characterization of Materials from Port-Harcourt Waste Dumpsites

Abstract

The leachate quality from the two major dumpsites in Port Harcourt (Eliozu and Buscare) was assessed for its physiochemical parameters. Standard methods for analysis of physiochemical parameters were employed in this assessment. It was observed that leachate from both dumpsites had high Biological Oxygen Demand (1002.35mg/l), ammonia (693.15mg/l), chlorides (1907.50mg/l), sulphates (182.05mg/l), Total Dissolved Solids (4882.5mg/l) etc. However, leachate from Buscare dumpsite showed 11.89% higher concentrations of these pollutants. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was carried out for the various parameters obtained from the two dumpsites to establish if the variation observed between the leachate qualities was significantly different from each other. A calculated F-value of 0.070936 which was less than the critical F-value of 4.061706 indicated no difference in the data obtained from both dumpsites. The high BOD, ammonia, sulphate and chloride levels possibly suggest that both dumpsites receive wastes that are basically organic in nature.