Halogenated compounds, PCB and pesticides in landfill leachate, downstream lake sediments and fish

Abstract

Two environmental sampling campaigns have been conducted in order to study the diffusion of selected pollutants from municipal solid waste landfills. The first campaign included the freshwater fish species pike, perch and roach, sampled by electrofishing, the second campaign included sampling of leachate, groundwater, sediments and fish. The analyses included chlorinated and brominated chemicals and pesticides, in addition to Hg. The study also included a compilation of Norwegian leachate data. Brominated compouns occurred in leachate between 0.02–11.1 μg/L, PCB from 0.01–3.1 μg/L, pesticides from 0.5–110 μg/L, and Hg from 0.005–62 μg/L. In the first campaign the fish samples contained chlorinated aromatics in concentrations between 25–162 μg/kg lipid, PBDE from 44 to almost 21000 μg/kg, HCH from 18 to 30 μg/kg, DDT between 152 to almost 27 000 μg/kg and PCB from 89 to 36 501 μg/kg. The highest concentrations were found at location 5, especially in pike samples. In the second campaign, measured concentrations were lower. The sediment samples showed low values of Hg, and no traces of pesticides. The content of Hg in the fish samples was low. The content of PCB in the fish samples was significantly higher than previous measurements and varied between 570–930 μg/kg wet weight. The fish samples contained DDE in concentrations of 20–190 μg/kg WW, levelling with previous studies. The levels of brominated compounds were lower in campaign two than in the first one, varying between < 0.03 to 33 μg/kg dry matter in the sediments, from 0.03 to 239 μg/L in groundwater, from < 0.03 to 5.1 in leachate, and between < 0.03 to 31 μg/kg wet weight in fish samples.

Keywords:

• Landfill leachate
• environmental pollutants

Acknowledgment

The monitoring of environmental samples was sponsored by The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT).

Notes

∗STP = sewage treatment plant. u = unknown.

∗At location 1 there is no leachate collection, sampling include groundwater polluted with leachate.

∗N = total number of samples. Min = minimum value, Max = maximum value, BCGM = Biased corrected geometric mean^{[ 7 ]}. HBCDD = hexabromocyclododekan, PBDE = poly-brominated diphenyl ether, PCB = polychlorinated biphenyls, TBBA = tetrabisphenol A.

∗Sum group compounds; Cl-aromatics = penta-hexachlorbenzene oktachlorstyren, HCH = α & γ (lindane), PCB = 28 to 209, DDT = DDT + DDD + DDE, PBDE = 47–154.

∗∗N = data from Norway^{[ 8 ]}

^a TOC = 63 % of LOI, lipid = % of DM.

^a ΣPCB = Sum polychlorinated biphenyls (28, PCB 52, PCB 101, PCB 118, PCB 138, PCB 153, PCB 180).

^b Σ Pesticides: DDE-pp.

^a ΣPCB = Sum poly-chlorinated biphenyls (28, PCB 52, PCB 101, PCB 118, PCB 138, PCB 153, PCB 180).

^b Σ Pesticides: DDE-pp.

^a Sum PBDE = total poly-brominated diphenyl ether (28, 47, 49+71, 66, 77, 85, 99, 100, 119, 138, 153, 154, 183, 196, 206, 209).

^b HBCDD = heksabromcyclododekan (α, β and γ).

^c TBA = tribromanisol., PBB = poly brominated biphenyl 15 & 153).

^a Sum PBDE = total poly-brominated diphenyleters (28, 47, 49 + 71, 66, 77, 85, 99, 100, 119, 138, 153, 154, 183, 196, 206, 209).

^b HBCDD = heksabromcyclododekan (sum α, β & γ). TBA = tribromanisol.

^c PBB = poly-brominated biphenyl 15 & 153).