Heavy Metal and Microbial Load Properties of Dumpsite Leachate: Case Study of Onitsha Dumpsite, South-East, Nigeria

Management of municipal waste has been an ambitious factor to sustainable development. In Nigeria most wastes are released into the surrounding with inconsiderable or no treatment. Microbial activities undertake degeneration of these wastes hazard and discharge as leachates. The study examined the heavy metals and microbial population characteristics of leachate from solid waste dumpsites aligning water body of the River Niger, Nigeria. Standard procedures were employed for the analysis. A comparison between metal permissible limits approved by FEPA, DPR, WHO and leachate sample as well as groundwater and soil samples obtained 45.6 km away from Onitsha dumpsite to ascertain significant differences in the result. Microbial population results were expressed in cfu/ml as: Total heterotrophic bacteria, total fungi, ranged from 6.23-9.79 Log cfu/ml, 5.25-6.64 Log cfu/ml respectively, Metals with high significant value with mean triplicate ± standard deviation such as Cd, Pb and Ni ranged from 0.536 ± 0.001, 0.655 ± 0.001 and 0.655 ± 0.001 respectively. This study indicated high significant level of Cd, Pb and Ni concentration as compared to the permissible limit. The study result indicated that leachate of the area possessed obnoxiously odoured, undesirably colored, highly turbid, alkaline, high microbial load, nonputrescible and putrescible organic substances that could have deleterious effect on groundwater quality. The study recommends effective treatment of effluent before discharged into the environment.

Author(s): Emmanuel I Michaela, Anthony O Odohb, Edna I Chukwurac and Mayen G Bend

Abstract | Full-Text | PDF

Share This Article