A Preliminary Assessment Of The Impact Of Solid Wastes On Soils And Groundwater System In Parts Of Port Harcourt City And Its Environs, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Soil and groundwater samples from four refuse dumpsite locations in Port Harcourt city and its environs were studied to assess the impact of solid wastes on soils and groundwater system in the area. The study shows significant abundances of Cu, Pb, Zn in soils, in the following ranges Cu: 0.0055-2.31%, Pb: 0.002-3.08%, and Zn 0.001-1.93%. This shows that the soils are contaminated to hazardous levels when compared with acceptable standards. The concentrations of these metals are found to decrease with depth in the soils. However, groundwater in the area is potable and not polluted by the chemical species studied (pH, Fe, Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, Cl and N0₃). It also shows low levels of BOD, COD, TDS, Hardness and coliforms.

The metal enrichments in the soils owe their origin to the refuse dumps as well as other sources like dissolution from parent rocks, buried oil pipes and fuel reservoirs, geochemical processes operating within the groundwater system, and atmospheric precipitation. The tolerable concentrations of the parameters in groundwater can be explained by the geologic control on the movement of chemical species in the soils.

KEY WORDS: Solid waste, impact, soil, groundwater, Port Harcourt.

Global Journal of Environmental Sciences Vol.4(1) 2005: 23-30