Leachate Characterization from Municipal Solid Waste Dump Site and Its Adverse Impacts on Surface Water Quality Downstream - Uyo Village Road, Akwa Ibom State - Nigeria

The present investigation discusses the characteristic of leachate generated from municipal solid waste landfill and it adverse impacts on downstream water quality. Landfill leachate was collected from a hole dug 10 m away from the waste dump site and the appearance of the leachate sample looks black. Three downstream water samples were collected at 10 meters intervals each from each other and less than 100 meters from the boundary of the dumpsite. All the samples were examined for temperature, pH, TDS, TSS, BOD, COD, nitrate, ammonia, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cl, total phosphate, sulfate, EC, DO and turbidity. The aim was to compare physicochemical and heavy metal properties of leachate and downstream water quality with internationally accepted protocols. The Laboratory analysis exhibited prevalence of high value of pH (8.5130.09), temperature(29.00.0), turbidity (14.00.41NTU), DO (0.1670.05 mg/l), COD (68.00.33 mg/l), BOD5 (324.03.00 mg/l), EC (446315.53s/cm), Total phosphate (62.3580.01 mg/l), Pb (0.310.00 mg/l), Cd (0.060.00 mg/l), Ni (0.3550.01 mg/l), and Cu (8.670.04 mg/l) in the leachate sample, which have exceeded their permissible limits. For downstream water samples, pH (7.760.07 to 7.5070.09), temperature (29.00.00) for the three sampling points, DO (3.6670.15 to 3.2330.12 mg/l), total phosphate (8.2250.00 to 7.9350.02 mg/l), Pb (0.4650.01 to 0.0910.00 mg/l), Cd (0.040.00 to 0.0230.00 mg/l), Ni and Cu (0.0430.06 mg/l) and (1.0620.00 mg/l) respectively, also exceeded their respective permissible limit recommended by Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality, World Health Organization in drinking water quality. From this study, there is evidence that there is an increase in risk to surface water that is reported near Uyo village road municipal solid waste dumping site. Therefore, the concerned authority should take appropriate intervention measures to protect surface water. Also, knowledge of leachate quality will be useful in planning and providing remedial measures to protect downstream water quality in the area.