The Impact of a Municipal Solid Waste Dumpsite on Soil and Groundwater Using 2-D Resistivity Imaging Technique

Abstract

The impact of a municipal solid waste dumpsite on soil and groundwater in Port Harcourt municipality was investigated using 2-D resistivity imaging technique. The resistivity data was acquired along six traverses, two of which was used as control line. The objective of the study was to determine the lateral and vertical limits of leachate contamination. The results of the 2-D resistivity imaging for the four profile lines investigated isolated two possible pollutants zone around the landfill sites. The zone exhibit anomalously high resistive with varying resistivities between 264 Ωm and 3459 Ωm. This anomaly is deduced to be associated with landfill gases such as Ammonia, Methane, Sulphur (IV) oxide or Carbon (IV) oxide, at depths exceeding 31 m and contaminant leachate plumes of low resistivities having values that vary between 0.203 Ωm and less than 388.5 Ωm at depths between 0.625 m to more than 31 m. This resistivity plausibly suggests that the aquifers and soil in the area haves been contaminated by leachates due to the in an un-engineered landfill. However, the soil and groundwater beneath the control lines have not been impacted by the municipal waste landfill.