Modelling of Soil Profile Pollutant Yield on Slaughterhouse Wastes Deposited Land

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed at modeling the concentration of pollutants along soil profile using finite element method. Study Design: Data was generated from the laboratory on the concentrations of selected heavy metals at varying depths of land discharged slaughterhouses. This was used to estimate the level of nutrient build-up in the soil within these environs, hence, used to verify and validate the finite element analysis. The model upon validation was used to predict the rate of pollutant build-up in the soil within the slaughterhouses discharge areas. Methodology: A total of twelve composite samples were collected from three different land discharged locations. The three composite samples each were collected from the sampling locations at a depth of 0 to 10cm, 10 to 20cm, 20 to 30cm and 30 to 40cm. Four composite samples each were collected for analysis from the three sampling locations on specified sampling dates. The samples were then placed in sterile polythene bags and transported to the laboratory for processing. The laboratory results obtained for heavy metals were used for the generated model verification and validation, hence predictions for pollutants accumulation was done on a time step. Results: Model verification showed a good fit of a nonlinear polynomial curve for both the measured and predicted values with R² values of 0.9978 to 0.9985 for zinc and 0.9978 to 0.9984 for lead at a selected time step of 15years. It was observed however, that there was an increasing tendency to uniformity of concentration as the time step increased; this was due to parameters build-up with time in the soil. Conclusion: Finite element results revealed a high build-up in the concentration of pollutants (Zinc and Lead) in the land discharged slaughterhouses.