dc.description.abstract | Abstract: In Sri Lanka, one of the main sources
of groundwater pollution is the leachate
generated from solid waste dumpsites.
Karadiyana landfill is located 2km from
Ratmalana airport, which receives nearly 500
tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) daily.
There is a considerable number of wells in the
surrounding area, which are being used for
drinking and other domestic purposes. The main
focus of this study was to identify whether there
is any effect of leachate on groundwater in
nearby areas of Karadiyana dumpsite. Thus,
well waters in nearby areas of the Karadiyana
Dumpsite were collected. Subsequently,
parameters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity
(EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total
Phosphates and Ammoniacal Nitrogen included
in these groundwater samples were determined.
After the obtained concentrations were
compared with permissible standards for
drinking water, it was identified that some of
the groundwater samples contained several
contaminants exceeding the permissible limits.
Moreover, the effect of distance on the degree of
leachate contamination was also determined.
Accordingly, it was suggested to identify the
causing grounds for the anomaly obtained in
these outcomes. As the conclusion, it was
determined that for the time being, there is no
significant effect of leachate on groundwater
within the area starting from 400m away from
the Karadiyana Dumpsite. | en_US |