Assessment of Arsenic and Physicochemical Properties of Soil Around Municipal Waste Dumpsite at Rohtak, Haryana, India

Abstract

In most of developing countries, open dumpsites are frequently opted as the best choice to get rid of waste, but this type of practice has severe threats to the environment. This may be considered as one of the factors in contamination of soil and groundwater. The study examined the arsenic and physicochemical properties of soil around a municipal waste dumpsite in Rohtak city, Haryana. For Rohtak city, leachate secretion and generation of various gases at landfill site may be a factor in contamination of soil around the dumpsite. 13 samples of soil were collected from the surrounding area of dumpsite within 2 km area. Soil samples were tested for various parameters like pH, EC, moisture content, bulk density, water holding capacity, organic matter, chloride and arsenic. The pH values of the various samples of different locations ranged from 7.14 to 8.34, EC ranged from 1034-9536 with a mean value of μS/cm, organic matter of the soil samples of present study ranged from 1.26 to 3.16 %. Water holding capacity of soil samples ranged from 51.02 % to 59.14 %, moisture content was found from 3.12 to 13.86 % bulk density was found from 1.28- 1.89 g/cm3. Range of chloride content was 358-4165 mg/kg with mean value 1679 mg/kg. Higher level of arsenic contamination is found in the surrounding soil samples, ranged from 410 ppb to 840 ppb with mean value of 618 ppb which may be due to leachate secretion at dumpsite area that make soil unsuitable for agricultural purposes.