Chemical quality assessment and health risk of heavy metals in groundwater sources around Saravan landfill, the northernmost province of Iran

ABSTRACT

The penetration of landfill leachate into the subsoil contaminates soil and groundwater and has a negative effect on health. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the quality and health risk of groundwater around Saravan landfill in Guilan province. To determine the effects of landfill on groundwater, leachate and water sampling of 5 wells around Landfill were performed according to standard procedures. The sampling was repeated 2 times and the samples were run through 0.45 Wattman filters to measure heavy metals. Then physico-chemical parameters were analysed and the results were compared with WHO standard and Environmental Protection Organization of Iran. Finally, the water quality index and potential health risks in children and adults were calculated. The results showed that the high pH of the leachate indicates the long life of the landfill. The concentrations of chromium, lead and manganese were higher than the allowed amount. The results of non-carcinogenic cumulative risk assessment in children and adults were 4.77 and 2.48 and the result of carcinogenic cumulative risk assessment in children and adults were 11 × 10 ⁻³ and 23 × 10 ⁻³, respectively Also, the health risk index of heavy metals for lead and manganese in gastrointestinal and cutaneous exposure in children was more than 1, respectively. Water quality index of 68.935 was obtained which was lower than recommended. According to the findings, the waste burial in Saravan landfill has led to a decrease in the quality of adjacent groundwater. The results of heavy metal concentrations and their health risk assessment showed the potential for pathogenic risk to the health of groundwater consumers in the study area. Therefore, due to the proximity of water wells to Saravan landfills and possible changes in the concentration of heavy metals, continuous monitoring is necessary.

KEYWORDS:

• Groundwater
• heavy metals
• risk assessment
• Saravan landfill

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support given by the Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Grant Number: 99-2-61-19141; Ethics Code: IR.IUMS.REC.1399.915).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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