Heavy Metal Pollution of Soil around Solid Waste Dumping Sites and Its Impact on adjacent Community: the case of Shashemane Open Landfill, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was aimed at determining the status of heavy metal pollution of soil around open landfill of Shashemane city and its potential impact on environment and local community. Accordingly, forty (among which four were control samples) soil samples and one leachate sample were collect following two meter circular diameter. The collected soil sample were allowed to dry under normal temperature within soil sample preparation room of Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural resources. The analysis for heavy metal was conducted at Hawassa University chemistry laboratory using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The result indicated that the concentration of manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (CO), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) were 0.88, 0.08, 0.06, 0.29, 0.08, and 0.08 respectively within study area. This level of concentration were varying across soil sampling depth, among sampling point. It were also varying between control, leachate and soil samples. Based on their contamination factors, the heavy metals were order as Cd > Cr > CO > Pb > Mn > Ni. Accordingly, the area was highly strongly polluted by cadmium and chromium while less uncontaminated by nickel. The result of modified degree of contamination and degree of contamination also show that the area considerably polluted and deteriorated in terms of its quality. Hence, this open landfill should be closed from other use in future and immediate remedial action have to be undertaken in order to minimize future pollution problems.

Keywords: Heavy metal, Solid waste, dumping site, soil pollution, adjacent community