Hydrochemical Characterization of a Tropical, Coastal Aquifer Affected by Landfill Leachate and Seawater Intrusion
The hydrochemistry of landfill leachate and groundwater is affected by not only waste degradation processes, but also by external factors such as the geography of the landfilling site. Knowledge on the fate of landfill leachate in tropical countries will be beneficial for monitoring and regulatory purposes. We studied the Keputih landfill close to the sea at Surabaya, Indonesia: (1) to assess leachate and groundwater hydrochemistry with respect to contamination and seawater intrusion, (2) to investigate the seasonal effects on hydrochemical composition; and (3) to determine redox conditions in order to evaluate the potential for natural attenuation through microbe-mediated electron-accepting processes. We document an influence from sea water intrusion on groundwater hydrochemistry on top of the influences from the landfill itself. Leachate had a high electrical conductivity and high COD, and contained high concentrations of NH , HCO3-, SO42-, Fe2+ and Cl-. Concentrations were significantly influenced by season, except for COD and SO . The groundwater at locations surrounding the landfill was also contaminated by leachate and concentrations of groundwater contaminants were higher than national regulatory standards in Indonesia for drinking water. The abundance of SO42- in groundwater indicates a large potential for anaerobic biodegradation of organic compounds. Based on the relative concentrations of Cl- and SO42- an influence of the sea water on groundwater hydrochemistry was obvious. Landfilling in developing countries often occurs in coastal areas, therefore we emphasize the need to study microbial community structure and functioning in relation to degradation of landfill leachate in tropical coastal areas impacted by seawater infiltration.
Appelo, C.A.J. and D. Postma (2005). Geochemistry, groundwater and pollution. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Baun, A., Rietzel, L.A., Ledin, A., Christensen, T.H. and P.L. Bjerg (2003). Natural attenuation of xenobiotic organic compounds in a landfill leachate plume (Vejen, Denmark). Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 65: 269-291.
Buyong, F.H., Abdul Kadir, M.S. and F.M. Darus (2004). Comparison of selected parameters of leachate in different age of closed landfill. In: e-Proceeding of 17th Analysis Chemistry Malaysia Symposium, Swiss-Garden Resort & Spa, Kuantan, Pahang, 24-26 August 2004.
Chaillan, F., Le Fleche, A., Bury, E., Phantavong, Y., Grimont, P., Saliot, A. and J. Oudot (2004). Identification and biodegradation potential for tropical aerobic hydrocarbon- degrading microorganisms. Research in Microbiology,155: 587-595.
Chofqi, A., Younsi, A., Lhada, E.K., Mania, J., Murdy, J. and A. Veron (2004). Environmental impact of an urban landfill on coastal aquifer (El-Jadida, Marocco). Journal of African Earth Science, 39: 509-516.
Christensen, T.H., Kjeldsen, P., Albrechtsen, H-J., Heron, G., Nielsen, P.H., Bjerg, P.L. and P.E. Holm (1999). Attenuation of landfill leachate pollutants in aquifers. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 24: 119-202
Christensen, T.H., Kjeldsen, P., Bjerg, P.L., Jensen, D.L., Christensen, J.B., Baun, A., Albrechsten, H-J. and G. Heron (2001). Biogeochemistry of landfill leachate plumes. Applied Geochemistry, 16: 659-718.
Chu, M.L., Cheung, K.C. and M.H. Wong (1994). Variation in the chemical properties of landfill leachate. Environmental Management, 18: 105-117.
Cline, J.D. (1969). Spectrophotometric determination of hydrogen sulfide in natural waters. Limnology Oceanography, 14: 454-458.
Cozzarelli, I.M., Suflita, J., Ulrich, G., Harris, S., Scholl, M.A., Schlottmann, J.L. and J.B. Jaeschke (1999). Biogeochemical processes in a contaminant plume downgradient from a landfill, Norman, Oklahoma. In: Morganwalp, D.W. and Buxton, H.T. (eds), U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program. Charleston, South Carolina.
Endah, N. and L. Pudjiastuti (1995). The influence of waste from the city of Surabaya at the Sukolilo Landfill on water quality of resident wells surrounding the landfill. (In Indonesian). MSc thesis, Surabaya Technology Institute.
Herlemann, D.P.R., Labrenz, M., Jürgens, K., Bertilsson, S., Waniek, J.J., Anders, F. and A.F. Andersson (2011). Transitions in bacterial communities along the 2000 km salinity gradient of the Baltic Sea. ISME Journal, 5: 1571-1579.
Hoornweg, D., Thomas, L. and K. Varma (1999). What a waste: solid waste management in Asia. Urban Development Sector Unit East Asia and Pacific Region. The World Bank, Washington DC.
Indonesian Ministry of Environment (1995). Standards and control on the quality of industrial waste water (in Indonesian). Jakarta, Indonesia.
Indonesian Ministry of Environment (2004). State of the environment in Indonesia. Annual Report (in Indonesian). Jakarta, Indonesia.
Indonesian National Regulation (2001). Water management and water pollution control (In Indonesia). Government regulation number 82, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Johannessen, L.M. and G. Boyer (1999). Observations of solid waste landfills in developing countries: Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Waste Management Anchor Team, the World Bank, Washington, DC.
Jørgensen, B.B. (1982). Mineralization of organic matter in the sea bed—The role of sulphate reduction. Nature,296: 643-645.
Jorstad, L.B., Jankowski, J. and R.I. Acworth (2004). Analysis of the distribution of inorganic constituents in a landfill leachate-contaminated aquifer: Astrolabe Park, Sydney, Australia. Environmental Geology, 46: 263-272.
Khoury, R., El-Fade, I.M., Sadek, S. and G. Ayoub (2000). Temporal variation of leachate quality in seawater saturated fills. Advances in Environmental Research, 4: 313-323.
Kjeldsen, P., Barlaz, M.A., Rooker, A.P., Baun, A., Ledin, A. and T.H. Christensen (2002). Present and long-term composition of MSW landfill leachate: A review. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 32: 297-363.
Lin, T., Wen, Y., Jian, L., Li, J., Yang, S. and Q. Zhou (2008). Study of atrazine degradation in subsurface flow constructed wetland under different salinity. Chemosphere,72: 122-128.
Mangimbulude, J.C., Van Breukelen, B.M., Krave, A.S, Van Straalen, N.M. and W.F.M. Röling (2009). Seasonal dynamics in leachate hydrochemistry and natural attenuation in surface run-off water from a tropical landfill. Waste Management, 29: 829-838.
Rachmansyah, A. (2001). Standortsuche für Siedlungsabfalldeponien im Surabaya-Gebiet und dessen Umgebung, Indonesien sowie Evaluierung der Tonsedimente als geologische Barriere und Rohstoff für mineralische Deponiebasisabdichtungen. Technischen Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany.
Schroeder, F., Knauth, H.D., Pfeiffer, K., Nohren, I., Duwe, K., Jennerjahn, T., Adi ,S. and D. Agus (2004). Water quality monitoring of the Brantas estuary, Indonesia. In: Oceans’04 MTSS/IEEE Techno Oceans’04, Kobe Japan.
Stumm, W. and J.J. Morgan (1981). Aquatic Chemistry. Wiley-Interscience, New York.
Surabaya Meteorological and Geophysical Agency (2007). Annual rainfall data in East Java. Surabaya, Indonesia.
Tränkler, J., Visvanathan, C., Kuruparan, P. and O. Tubtimthai (2005). Influence of tropical seasonal variation on landfill leachate characteristics—Results from lysimeter studies. Waste Management, 25: 1013-1020.
Van Bemmelen, R.W. (1949). Geology of Indonesia. Vol. IA. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Viollier, E., Inglett, P.W., Hunter, K., Roychoudhury, A.N. and P. Van Cappellen (2000). The ferrozine method revisited: Fe(II)/Fe(III) determination in natural waters. Applied Geochemistry, 15: 785-790.
Wilson, R.D., Thornton, S.F. and D.M. Mackay (2004). Challenges in monitoring the natural attenuation of spatially variable plumes. Biodegradation, 15: 459-469.