Physicochemical Characteristics and Heavy Metals Level in Groundwater and Leachate around Solid Waste Dumpsite at Mbodo, Rivers State Nigeria

Abstract

The dump site at Mbodo study area is characterized by diverse kinds of waste, from municipal waste to industrial waste, agricultural waste, and solid waste. Hence, this study evaluated the physicochemical characteristics and heavy metals level in groundwater and leachate around solid waste dumpsite at Mbodo, Rivers State, Nigeria using standard methods after sample treatment. The physiochemical results of the underground waters were studied and the results range are pH (4.50-4.77); Total dissolved solid (7.0-8.0); Total hardness (2.40-4.04); Turbidity (0.4); Conductivity (14-17); chloride (4.6- 6.0), Nitrate (0.9). The physiochemical parameters are within the world health organization standard except for pH of the waters which indicates low pH (4.48-4.477). The low pH of the underground water could be due to surrounding factors like elemental compositions of the aquifer, the nature of the underground water, reactions of the elemental components in the water, reactions of metals at the subsurface, dissolution of confined CO₂ in the underground water. The leachates have average composition of (Cu= 0.015; Mn=5.565; Fe=15.01). The heavy metals in the underground water are within the permissible limit which can be tolerated by human beings as compared with the world health organization standard. The heavy metals concentrations range from (Ca =0.06-0.11; Mg= 0.05-0.2; Mn=0.02-0.03; Fe= 0.033; Ni=0.047) while Cd, Cr and Pb are not significant. The waste dump at Mbodo study area did not have any significant effect on the proxy underground water.