Pollution profiles and physicochemical parameters in old uncontrolled landfills

The long-term effectiveness of the geological barrier beneath municipal-waste landfills is a critical issue for soil and groundwater protection. This study examines natural clayey soils directly in contact with the waste deposited in three landfills over 12 years old in Spain. Several physicochemical and geological parameters were measured as a function of depth. Electrical conductivity (EC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), Cl⁻, NH₄⁺, Na⁺ and exchangeable NH₄⁺ and Na⁺ were used as parameters to measure the penetration of landfill leachate pollution. Mineralogy, specific surface area and cationic-exchange capacities were analyzed to characterize the materials under the landfills. A principal component analysis, combined with a Varimax rotation, was applied to the data to determine patterns of association between samples and variables not evident upon initial inspection. The main factors explaining the variation in the data are related to waste composition and local geology. Although leachates have been in contact with clays for long time periods (13-24 years), WSOC and EC fronts are attenuated at depths of 0.2-1.5 m within the clay layer. Taking into account this depth of the clayey materials, these natural substrata (>45% illite-smectite-type sheet silicates) are suitable for confining leachate pollution and for complying with European legislation. This paper outlines the relevant differences in the clayey materials of the three landfills in which a diffusive flux attenuation capacity (A_c) is defined as a function (1) of the rate of decrease of the parameters per meter of material, (2) of the age and area of the landfill and (3) of the quantity and quality of the wastes.     

Pyrolysis of lemon peel waste in a fixed-bed reactor and characterization of innovative pyrolytic products

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Lemon peel waste (LPW) were pyrolysed in a laboratory fixed-bed reactor at final temperature of 300 °C, 400 °C and...     

An integrative negotiation model to deal with conflicts toward water resources management: a case study in Brazil

Environment, Development and Sustainability - An integrative negotiation model is proposed so that watershed committees (WSC) can deal better with conflicts over alternatives for protecting water...     

Polishing of painting process effluents through adsorption with biochar from winemaking residues

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A real industrial effluent from the pre-treatment and painting processes was polished through adsorption using alternative biochar derived from grape...     

A review of the main methods for composite adsorbents characterization

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Adsorption is a promising technology for removing several contaminants from aqueous matrices. In the last years, researchers worldwide have been...     

Preparation and characterization of biochar from cement waste for removal of rhodamine B dye

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Cement waste (CW) is one of the main environmental problems in the cement industry due to the high amount that is used and its incorrect disposal....     

Water demand of central pivot-irrigated areas in Bahia,Brazil: management of water resources applied to sustainable production

When performed without technical criteria, the rapid expansion of irrigated agricultural frontiers can result in overexploitation of water, causing worrying impacts on the balance of agroecosystems. This study proposes a model applied to the state of Bahia, to estimate the water demand of areas irrigated by a central pivot, in order to contribute to information that will subsidize the inspection and planning of water resources in the promotion of sustainable agriculture. The irrigated areas were identified and measured by photointerpretation using orbital images from the Landsat-8 satellite. With a historical series of data, the reference evapotranspiration was calculated and monthly water balance was elaborated. The data obtained were spatialized by kriging, and with punctual values of water deficit (mm), the water demand of the irrigated perimeter of the equipment was estimated. The results were described considering strategic planning units, proposed from municipalities, hydrographic basins and biomes. A total of 4075 pivots were quantified, covering an irrigated area of 265,896.30 ha and with an average annual consumption of 1,333,473,208.02 m³ of water. Areas of high demand were identified, especially in the western region of Bahia, which includes the hydrographic basin of the São Francisco River and the Cerrado biome, concentrating 80.85% and 75.47% of the state water demand for pivots, respectively. Considering possible points of water vulnerability and continuity of this expansion, the results provide the primary information needed to encourage the adoption of public policies aimed at the management of water resources. The study method proposes guidelines that condition the application in any region of interest in the world.

Graphical abstract

     

Effects of oil contamination on plant growth and development: a review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Oil spills generate several environmental impacts and have become more common with the increase in petroleum extraction, refining, transportation, and...     

The potential of animal manure management pathways toward a circular economy: a bibliometric analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Improper disposal of animal waste is responsible for several environmental problems, causing eutrophication of lakes and rivers, nutrient overload in...